United Association apprentices from across Ohio once again had the ability to show off their skillset and wage a friendly competition to identify the state’s top apprentices in the union pipe trades.

From April 18 to 22, the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 94 Training Center in Canton welcomed 33 apprentices from across the state to demonstrate their training as either a pipefitter, plumber, sprinkler fitter, welder or HVAC service technician.

The competition marked the first time the United Association Ohio State Pipe Trades Apprentice Contest was held since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dana Shanower, Local 94 Training Director, started preparing for the apprenticeship contest in mid-March. He was hoping for a good competition and said the apprentices delivered.

Two apprentices from Pipefitters Local 120 in Cleveland were recognized as the best in the state. Tyler Wilson won as the top welder and Richard Gorski earned best sprinkler fitter.

Mackenzie Phelix, from Local 776 in Lima, won the HVAC-R competition, while Zac LaRoy from Local 50 Toledo took home the title among the plumber apprentices. Shane Schaeffer, from Local 219 in Akron, was crowned the top pipefitter apprentice.

All the winners received a customized Hall of Fame football encased in glass, with their name and date printed on it, along with a cash prize. The second and third place finishers were given a mini-HOF helmet encased in glass and a cash prize.

Every contestant received tools donated by Rigid Tools.

According to Shanower, the second-, third- and fourth-place finishers often were separated by less than a single point.

“Based on their work in the competition, all these apprentices are ready to be journeymen,” he said. “Hands down, they knew what to do and did it well. The future of our industry is in good shape with these apprentices.”

Everyone involved in the competition also attended a dinner at the Pro Football Hall of Fame that included private evening access to the Canton landmark.

The winning apprentices advanced to the UA’s eight-state District Two competition, where they will face off against other apprentices that won similar events.

Those who advance out of the District Two regional competition, which will take place in June in Louisville, will advance to the national competition, held in Ann Arbor, Mich., later this summer.