Originally held in the 1950s and 1960s but discontinued for 25 years, the annual apprentice competition held by the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the U.S. and Canada—known as the UA—displays the skills of the newest generation of union members while helping the union leadership to gauge the new plumbers’ prowess.

比赛长期休假后，UA在九年前在威廉·赫特（William Hite）总统的指导下复活了。来自所有50个州，加拿大和澳大利亚的参赛者都参加了比赛。Hite重新建立了比赛“以了解全国各地的工会学习不同的技能，”杰里·奥利里（Jerry O’Leary）说，他是一位退休的UA雇员，他帮助参加比赛。“比赛的目的是提高我们作为交易的整体技能。”竞争测试了水管工，管道翼型，喷水剂装饰机，HVAC服务技术人员和焊工的技能。UA的国际学徒委员会确定比赛每年的情况。竞争对手通过在自己的本地工会中获胜，然后进入州和地区比赛（后者通常有200名参赛者），最后进入国家比赛水平（请参见下面的故事）。

在密歇根州安阿伯市的Washtenaw社区学院举行的全国比赛包括赞助供应商，这些供应商通过材料的捐款来支持该活动，以便参赛者可以在比赛模块上工作。同时，UA培训计划的讲师参加了活动，以学习新技术。“我们在星期六设置了一切，比赛才能直到下午5点。下一个星期三下午。周六，竞争对手对理论进行了书面，100个问题，90分钟的测试。” O’Leary说。

After the theory test, contestants practice CPR technique, on which they then are tested. Next, the judges interview the apprentices on best practices for change orders, handling difficult workplace situations and other aspects of the job. Contestants manage their own blueprints for the contest project, which includes hands-on installation of bathroom facilities and other tasks.

O’Leary说：“如果他们以不安全的方式工作或不照顾工具，则会扣除要点。”获奖者从礼品卡到工具获得奖品，全部由赞助商捐赠。比赛结束后，UA创建了一份白皮书，详细介绍了最佳实践。

年轻爸爸的胜利使他的孩子感到骄傲

韦德·布洛克（Wade Blocker）自2012年7月以来一直从事水暖工作，但总部位于芝加哥的本地130名成员最近参加了他的书面测试，成为了一名流浪者水管工，并将在12月进行实际测试。在进行UA学徒竞赛的三个级别（一项内部考试以及州和地区竞赛）之后，Blocker搬到了全国一级，他在今年的UA学徒比赛中获得了最高荣誉。

ENR: How did it feel to be competing in your trade at the national level?

阻止器：老实说,这是累人的竞争,磨破king nine-hour and 10-hour days—and your score depends, in part, on timing. It’s also very stressful, since you are trying not to screw anything up. I knew the competition would be close, and I figured [the gold medal] was going to be between me and a few other guys. But, looking back, it was a lot of fun getting to meet all the guys from all over the country. Not to mention, it provides a little boost for your career. It’s a lot of work, but it was worth it.

您如何喜欢建筑作为职业？

我喜欢施工，但是进入它只是掉进了我的腿上。在建设之前，我是垃圾人。我之所以做出更改，是因为我厌倦了早期的卫生工作日，而假期不可能从事这项工作。我有一个伙伴，他是工会水管工，并鼓励我进入交易。他实际上训练我为水管工。

What has winning meant for you?

我获得了很多奖品，并从比赛赞助商那里获得了礼品卡。前几天我刚收到一封邮件。

What are your career goals?

Providing for family is important to me, since I am married with three kids, ages 6, 3 and 2, which made it fun as I went through the competition. Each time I won a different part of the competition, it was cool to see my kids’ faces when I told them. I’d come home and they’d ask me if I won, and I’d say, “I did.”

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