PHOENIX, ARIZ. (Feb. 28, 2023) – The Arizona Masonry Council recently bestowed journeymen cards to the next generation of masons at the 2022 Apprenticeship Program Graduation Ceremony and Celebration Dinner recently in Tempe.
The 13-member Class of 2022 was recognized with a graduation ceremony and dinner attended by members of the masonry industry along with family, friends, and individuals from the graduates’ sponsoring companies. Each graduate received their journeymen’s card, which allows them to move on to the next chapter in their masonry career. The Class of 2022 and their sponsors:
Elijah Baum, Sun Valley Masonry; Isaac Baum, Sun Valley Masonry; Alexis Cuen, Hobbs Masonry; Taylor English, Keystone Masonry; Aaron Escalante, Hobbs Masonry; Antonio Gamboa, Sun Valley Masonry; Stephen Kozel, Sutter Masonry; Oscar Montano, Sun Valley Masonry; Marcos Ortega, Keystone Masonry; Ricardo Reyes, Sun Valley Masonry; Henderson Thompson, Sutter Masonry; Ricardo Umanzor, G & G Masonry; and Macio Wright, Sutter Masonry.
“We are proud of these graduates who committed their time to learn the trade,” said Arizona Masonry Council Executive Director Dawn Rogers. “Each Saturday morning from January through November they excelled in the 3-year ‘earn-while-you-learn’ program that combines on-the-job learning, classroom instruction, and hands-on skill development. We are proud of the Class of 2022.”
AMC’s Central program is held at the East Valley Institute of Technology in Mesa and the Southern Program at Pima Community College in Tucson. Apprentices must complete 144 hours of classroom and hands-on training with a minimum of 1,500 on-the-job learning hours each year to complete the program and pass all module exams and lab projects.
Apprentices learn the proper techniques for laying brick, block and stone along with other important skills such as estimating, blueprint reading, quality control, and leadership skills.
The program team comprised Program Director Cassie Mejia, Workforce Development Training Coordinator Ryan Gray, and apprenticeship instructors Jacob Brooks, Tanner Brooks, Vince Fallecker, Mike Gray, Ryan Gray, Martin Martinez, Rob Miller, John Sugameli, and Josh Townson. Martinez was honored as Instructor of the Year.
Fastest Trowel on the Block
Arizona Masonry Council members swept the Top 3 spots at the Fastest Trowel on the Block competition held at the Las Vegas Convention Center during World of Concrete/World of Masonry. The winners:
1st: Gerardo Patlan; 2nd: Roberto Cimental; 3rd: Noe Martinez.
AMC also had a local Fastest Trowel on the Block event for its high school students. The Top 3 winners were 1, Caleb Peterson, Tucson Canyon Del Oro High School; 2, Jordan Michael, West MEC Verrado; and 3, Octavio Tello, West MEC Verrado.
About the Arizona Masonry Council
The mission of the Arizona Masonry Council is to create significant and lasting positive change for the Arizona masonry industry and to reinforce that our systems provide the premier building envelope solution in the minds of public and private owners, developers, architects, engineers, general contractors, and the general public. The Council and its members have played a significant role in economic development, new product and construction standards, enhanced safety policies and increased energy efficiency of masonry products. It has also been on the forefront of developing and implementing statewide education programs for the professional community as well as students from college to the high school level. The Arizona Masonry Council can be reached at (602) 265-5999 or visit azmasonry.org.
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