During the National Masonry Skills Challenge at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Las Vegas, Chattanooga State alum Austin McEwen placed second in the second year apprentice category competing against other apprentice masons from across the U.S.  A 2010 Collegiate High cum laude graduate, Austin holds an Associate of Arts degree and is employed by Adams Masonry, Inc. He received a scholarship from the local Masonry Contractor’s Association to further his education at Chattanooga State.

Held annually, the contest is a competition of masonry apprentices in first, second and third-year skill levels. Contestants have no idea what the project includes and they must build the project without ever having seen the drawings. They receive no assistance from their instructor, employer or anyone else during the competition, and they have only three hours to complete the task.

During the three-hour competition, criteria used to judge contestants includes plumb, manipulation, level, tooling and neatness, square and range, full joints, measurements, aesthetics, correct design, and production.