Union Carpenters Apprentices are provided with the most state-of-the-art training to prepare them for everything that comes with working on a job site. Every year the Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship Training Center of Philadelphia & Vicinity looks to provide their carpenters and the public with an Open House and Skills Competition that allows carpenter apprentices to use their skills to show future students and community leaders what apprentices can do. With the COVID-19 Pandemic still in full effect, unfortunately, the Skills Competition this year came with many dramatic changes. Typically over one thousand guests are in attendance to see some of Philadelphia and nearby regions most highly skilled apprentices demonstrating their talents.

Local 167 Apprentice Andrew Moser

“Unbelievable day,” said Director Bob Landy. “The contestants had an unbelievable day, very hard day, very hard work, looking forward to next year when we go back to open to the public and we can get the tent outside, but today was just a great day to show off our skills as union carpenters, union millwrights, floor-layers and mill cabinets.”

The trades that were featured this year, included:

• General Carpentry
• Interior Carpentry
• Millwrights
• Floor-Layers
• Mill Cabinets

“(The competition) was tricky, they threw some things at us that none of us were really well-versed in, which was cool because we all got to struggle together on it,” said Local 167 Apprentice Andrew Moser. “All of the projects came out really good, to showcase everything that I have learned, that my instructor taught to us, my experience on the field, to be able to put that into an application and build a bridge, it’s pretty neat, I worked four years for this.”

The local union is proud of the history of the Skills Competition and their members and staff understand how important it is to the region.

EASRCC EST William Sproule talking with GBCA’s Gina Gannon and ABC6

“These students in the skills competition are the top-tier that came up from the apprenticeship program and are now competing to see who is the best in each category,” said Executive Secretary-Treasurer. William Sproule, of the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters. “If you want to work with your hands, if you want to make good money, you want to learn a skilled craft, carpentry may be a really good idea for you. t’s a great way for anyone not interested in a secondary education. I did the same thing 32 years ago and I’m a first generation carpenter and now I’m running a 42,000 member operation.”

Though not as large as previous years the Skills Competition was a success. Training provided by the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters is unlike anywhere else in the world and 2021 was able to showcase it once again.