NCMCA Apprentice Skills Contest

Words: Brandy ShaverThe North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association's (NCMCA) best apprentice masons will gather for the annual NCMCA Apprentice Skills Contest at Adams Products Company in Fayetteville, N.C., on Saturday, May 20. Contestants will compete for cash and tool prizes, as well as the "David R. Sigmon" award for top score.

Last year, McGee Brothers Company took the top prize as Josh Morrison finished first, winning $500, the Sigmon Award and a wheelbarrow full of tools. Morrison earned second place in the third-year category in the MCAA International Masonry Skills Challenge in Las Vegas, March 30.

To participate, contestants must be sponsored by a contractor member of NCMCA, supply his or her own tools, have proper safety equipment, and have completed less than 6,000 hours of training before the competition. Complete rules are included with the registration blanks.

A $50 entry fee is required per contestant. Everyone who competes wins prizes.

The contest chairman, Gary Manning, expressed the association's appreciation to Adams Products Company for hosting this year's event, and extends an invitation for everyone to come enjoy the contest and fellowship.

For more information, visit www.ncmca.com.

Bonding with Masonry 2026: Q2
June 2026

This issue’s questions come from a Mason Contractor and an Engineer. What questions do you have? Send them to info@masonrymagazine.com, attention Technical Talk.

The Thirty-Year Mason: Ergonomics as a Retention Strategy
June 2026

In most industry circles, the conversation around the labor shortage follows a predictable script: How do we find the next generation of masons? While recruitment is vital, we often overlook the most valuable asset already on the job site: the experienced

Acme Brick Company Releases 2026 Pocket Guide to Brick Construction
June 2026

For more than four decades, all the basics of building with brick have come in a guide small enough to fit into a pocket. Acme Brick has just released a 2026 version of its Pocket Guide to Brick Construction. And yes, it’s still printed on paper just like

Masonry in the Media: Casa Azul, Chapultepec Castle, & More
June 2026

A film’s settings can take viewers to new locations, all from the comfort of their own home. It immerses them in the scenes, whether they take place in an opera house in Brazil or a grand mansion in Mexico City. Explore how these Latin American masonry ma