FIND A CONTRACTOR BUYER'S GUIDE
BECOME AN INDUSTRY PARTNER
MCAA Logo
MEMBER LOGIN JOIN
NEWS
The 2026 MCAA Annual Online Auction ↗

Dothan Technology Center masonry students prepare for competition

Words: Jim CookFor Jakob Johnson, masonry is a family tradition.

Jakob’s father Robert Johnson is a mason, and Jakob is taking classes at Dothan Technology Center in the trade, hoping to follow in his father’s footsteps.

“I go home and show him pictures of what we’ve been doing here,” Jakob said. “He’s proud of me.”

Jakob is among several DTC masonry students who will compete in the state Skills USA competition in Birmingham. The event offers competitions in various career technical skills taught in schools around the state.

Joc Carroll, DTC masonry instructor, said his students will compete in a variety of practical exercises, including building walls of brick and stone.

“It’s a lot of things they’d be doing in the real world as masons,” Carroll said.

The Skills USA event is a valuable experience for students because it gives them the opportunity to earn scholarships, connect with employers and interact with other students interested in masonry. Carroll said the competitive nature of the event pushes students to excel.

“We try to make it very challenging for them,” he said.

Steven Uhler, 17, is traveling to compete in the Skills USA masonry competition. Uhler said he enjoys masonry because it gives him a chance to work with his hands.

“I don’t like my hands to be clean,” he said. “I like them to be dirty. It represents my work.”

Uhler said the toughest part of masonry is making measurements and keeping work level. Uhler said he looks forward to the opportunity to compete against other students.

Jakob agreed.

“It makes me want to do better, to go in and prove myself and get a sense of satisfaction by being happy with what I did,” he said.
 0
Outreach Outlook: Springing into Action – The Season of Growth
March 2026

There is a distinct shift in the air when March arrives. You can feel it on the job sites, and you can certainly feel it in the classrooms. As the winter chill begins to lift and the days are a little longer, the construction industry naturally wakes up f

Robert Melgaard
Outreach Outlook
Read More
Chairman's Message: Laying the First Brick - A Fresh Start
March 2026

As we head into a new year, I’m excited and, honestly, grateful to step into the role of Chairman of the Mason Contractors Association of America. This industry has been good to my family, and I see this role as a chance to give back and help move things

Kent Huntley
Chairman’s Message
Read More
GEN NXT: 2026 Skills Challenge Winners
March 2026

After another successful year of the Skills Challenge, the MCAA had the opportunity to speak with the three 1st Place winners of each skill level. Get to know their journeys, motivations, and the mindsets they have in order to compete in a national compet

Justin Stengel
GEN NXT
Read More
2026 World of Concrete Recap
March 2026

The 2026 World of Concrete Convention marked another successful year for masonry. From the world-renowned Skills Challenge and Fastest Trowel on the Block competitions to the new innovative GEORGE AI class, we gained a lot of ground in pushing this indust

Justin Stengel
Industry News
Read More