KANSAS CITY, MO. — Six winners of the residential plumbing contest of the Skills-USA Championships in plumbing were announced June 25 at the SkillsUSA-VICA National Leadership & Skills Conference here.
Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors - National Association organized and co-sponsored the contest.
The 32 high school and 13 post-secondary plumbing contestants roughed-in hot and cold water lines with copper to a water heater, and the sanitary drain, waste and vent lines with cast iron and PVC, for a water closet, a lavatory and a washer box. Water supply pipes were pressure tested on the completed projects.
The contestants’ biggest challenge was installing the DWV system, working with cast iron and transitioning to PVC. Professional plumbers and pipe fitters judged the contestants on the basis of accuracy, workmanship, proper selection and use of tools and supplies, and proper safety practices.
Winners received medallions and tools of their trade and/or scholarships to further their careers and education. The contest winners were:
High School, first place, Robert Lamica, Florence, Mass.; second place, Levi Johnson, Calvin, Pa.; and third place Kevin Babb, Greer, S.C.
Winners in the postsecondary school category were, first place, Josh Singleton, Taylorsville, Utah, second, Jack Blankenship III, Landrum, S.C.; and third, George Lee, Albuquerque, N.M.
The SkillsUSA Championships are for high school and college-level students who are members of SkillsUSA-VICA. More than 4,200 students from every state and three territories competed in 77 different fields.
The members of the national technical committee for the plumbing contest, known as PHCC’s SkillsUSA Task Force, include co-chair Robert Hahn, New Jersey PHCC; co-chair Jim Steinle, Atomic Plumbing and Drain Cleaning, Virginia; Paul D’Agostino, Anthony Inc., Kansas; Dale Powell, Copper Development Association; James Walls, Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute; and John Schulte, PHCC - NA.
Organizations supporting the contest include AB&I Foundry; Amtrol Inc.; A.O. Smith Inc.; Bradford White Water Heaters Inc.; Brass Craft Co.; Carhartt; Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute; Channellock; Charlotte Pipe & Foundry; Cooper B-Line Industries; Copper Development Association; DeWalt Tool Co.; Home Depot; In-Sink-Erator; Irwin Industrial Tools; Lenox; Milwaukee Electric Tool Co.; Mission Rubber Co.; NIBCO Inc.; Oatey; PHCC - NA; Ridge Tool Co.; Rubbermaid Inc.; Sioux Chief Manufacturing Co.; State Industries; Tyler Pipe; and Vanguard Industries.