Four Louisiana Apprentices compete in 11-state Super-Regional contest

NEW ORLEANS – Four Registered Apprentices from the Louisiana Workforce Commission’s (LWC) Apprenticeship program competed in the United Association’s (UA) 2018 Super-Regional Apprenticeship Competition, held June 5-7 at the Local Union 60 Union Hall and Training Center in New Orleans.

Louisiana’s competitors secured their spots in the Super-Regional Competition when they placed first in their respective State Apprenticeship Competition categories earlier this year.

The four participants will earn their credentials via the LWC’s Registered Apprenticeship Program – a nationally recognized, voluntary, industry-driven initiative designed to provide on-the-job training and education.

“We at the LWC are particularly proud of the Registered Apprenticeship Program, as well as other employee-training initiatives,” said Ava Dejoie, Executive Director of the LWC. “On-the-job training is a time-tested, proven employee-training method, and these four Apprentices embody the LWC’s program objectives. We are ecstatic about their accomplishments and look forward to Louisiana representation in the contest for years to come.”

Forty-five apprentices from the Southeast competed in four categories: heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); pipefitting; plumbing; and welding. Numerous competitions comprise each category, and those winners will move on to the national competition in Ann Arbor, Mich. in August.

Louisiana’s District 3 competitors were:

• Ethan Arbour, 26, Denham Springs, welding, Local Union 198 Plumbers & Steamfitters in Baton Rouge;

• Logan Greer, 25, Shreveport, pipefitter, Local Union 141 Plumbers & Steamfitters in Shreveport;

• Joshua Hanner, 30, Addis, plumbing, Local Union 198 Plumbers & Steamfitters in Baton Rouge; and

• Roy Stover, 25, Kenner, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, Local Union 60 New Orleans.

Joseph Hollins, State Director of Louisiana’s Registered Apprenticeship Program, views the growing number of super-regional contest participants as indicative of the program’s value and success.

“The fact that Louisiana has four apprentices in this super-regional competition, with the opportunity to move on to nationals, is a testament to the quality of training Louisiana’s Registered Apprenticeship programs offer,” Hollins said.

Sixty-five judges and referees from across the Southeast participated in the contest, including seven from Louisiana.

Other states represented at the super-regionals, in addition to Louisiana, were: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

Prizes included $300 for first place; $200 for second place; and $100 for third place within each category. Some participants also received other prizes, including bags of tools from Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. and MIG welding machines from Lincoln Electric.

About the Louisiana Workforce Commission

The Louisiana Workforce Commission is an agency of state government that administers programs designed to enhance workforce growth and provide family-sustaining jobs for Louisiana residents. The commission monitors employment, administers unemployment compensation and tax funds, provides training resources for employers and employees and oversees worker compensation benefits. The agency also gathers and supplies information on the labor market and occupational sectors in Louisiana.

###