Report of the MCAA Education Committee

Words: Andy Sneed

Live Webinar Series

MCAA’s Live Webinar Series was a major success in 2011. Over thirty courses were offered on topics ranging from building information modeling and quality assurance to masonry wall bracing and water resistance. New topics and courses are scheduled to begin in the spring of 2012.

New Programs

The Education Committee has been tasked with the goal of creating new education programs for mason contractors. The Committee will focus on courses for employers taught by attorneys, CPAs and insurance executives; classes to sharpen and increase skills of project managers and estimators; and new courses taught by fellow mason contractors.

The Committee also plans to create round table discussion groups with general contractors, construction managers, design-build contractors, architects, and engineers.

Standard Practice for Bracing Masonry Walls

The MCAA plans to release an updated version of the Standard Practice for Bracing Masonry Walls Under Construction at the beginning of 2012. The wall bracing standard has been updated with the current code cycle. Additionally, the Masonry Wall Bracing seminar will be updated to utilize the new standard and highlight the significant changes.

Review of MQI

The Masonry Quality Institute will be reviewed and revamped by the Education Committee. The program will be updated to include specific examples about masonry and focus more on quality masonry. Additional safety information will also be included.

The Year Ahead

The Education Committee will continue to provide top quality education programs to mason contractors and work to develop new courses for the masonry industry.
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

Chairman’s Message: When Things Don’t Go as Planned
June 2026

Not every day in this business goes the way we planned. Some days, everything lines up. The crew is moving well. Materials are on time. The job is flowing the way you hoped it would. And then there are the other days. The ones where something breaks. T

Marvelous Masonry: Borobudur
June 2026

For masonry contractors and suppliers, few structures offer as much practical insight as Borobudur. Built in the 9th century in Central Java, this massive stone monument remains as one of the most advanced examples of large-scale masonry construction ever

Wrapping Up Our Year And A Look Ahead
June 2026

It is amazing another year has gone by and what a year it has been. We have seen a lot of progress on so many fronts. All of this happens specifically due to the support of our members. Your support this past year is positioning our industry to make huge