Report of the MCAA Workforce Development Committee

Words: Adam Masterson

Skills USA

In June 2015 the MCAA continued it’s support of Skills USA. The Skills USA program moved this past year to Louisville, KY from it’s long time home of Kansas City MO. We look forward to our continued support of Skills USA.

NCCER Sponsorship Program

The MCAA closed its trial program in TN this past June. The program was ramping up nicely and in early 2015 the MCAA received word that the state was going to be changing their vocational program structure. Part of the plan was to combine many of the stand alone programs and combine them into a very limited program on each trade and offer them as a general trade program. As a result, the need for NCCER sponsorship in the masonry programs was going to be nearly non-existent. The MCAA made efforts to try and ask the state to reverse it’s decision, but was unsuccessful. This is turn created a vacuum for the grant the MCAA received from NCMA the previous year and the grant was stopped and the funds distributed to MCAA for the development of the program were asked to be returned.

NCCER Update

The rewrite of all three training programs through NCCER has been completed. In addition, there is a new program which should roll out soon which will allow for the mason who has been in the industry for years to test both a written and performance exam to give them a credential to show they have journeyman knowledge. We are excited to see this get rolling as it should allow for masons who never had formal training to show that they have the knowledge necessary to be on the job-site.

The Foreman Development Program

The Foreman Development Program will be held again in Las Vegas. We are looking to re-develop this and add and delete some new sections. One section in particular we are looking to add will be on the use of technology.
The STABILA Force Driven by Operations
July 2025

Leadership In today's competitive business landscape, maintaining an efficient, well-organized warehouse is essential for meeting customer demands and ensuring smooth operations. By implementing effective processes and best practices, businesses can achi

MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Episode 24 Recap: Gary Hensley, VP of Sales at Oldcastle Adams
July 2025

On this episode of the MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Gary Hensley joins Justin in Indianapolis to talk about his story within the masonry industry, how he got started, how he's seen it evolve, and where he sees it going. Why the Masonry Industry? Concrete and

The Enduring Power of Structural Masonry
July 2025

Masonry has been holding its ground for millennia — literally. And thanks to the simple brilliance of arching action, it continues to do so with strength, style, and surprising efficiency. In an era of advanced modeling and fast-moving schedules, one time

Business Building: Do Project Manager / Estimator Combos Work?
July 2025

Steve owns SJP Contractors, a mid-size general contractor specializing in commercial projects. Over the last several years, his company has grown to over $16 million in annual sales, with an average project size of $500,000 to $1,500,000, employing 45 off