(Wisconsin Dells, Wis.) – Two Northeast Wisconsin Technical College apprenticeship students have earned the top awards in the Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) contest at the ABC of Wisconsin Skills Competition held last week in Wisconsin Dells.
John Pelnar Jr. of Manitowoc took first place in the HVAC contest. He is an apprentice with Schaus Roofing and Mechanical Contractors, Inc., Manitowoc. Scott Naparalla of Berlin, Wis., earned second place; he is an apprentice with Brewer Heating & Cooling, Inc. in Ripon. Both Pelnar and Naparalla are HVAC apprentices in the ABC of Wisconsin Apprenticeship program on the NWTC Green Bay campus.
The Skills Competition was held January 20, 2012, at Wisconsin Dells Center, which is part of the Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells. The competition consisted of a two-hour written exam and a four-hour practical exam judged by construction craft professionals.
Pelnar will advance to the ABC National Craft Championships, which will be held in April at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. Approximately 100 top apprentices and craft trainees throughout the country will be competing in 12 different trades at the 26th annual Craft Championships.
The ABC HVAC apprenticeship program at NWTC has a record of producing award-winning graduates for the workforce. The program has had an ABC Craft Competition state champion and national competitor in six out of the seven years an NWTC student has participated.
The ABC of Wisconsin Apprenticeship and Training Trust sponsors approximately 900 construction apprentices in Wisconsin. For more information about the ABC of Wisconsin apprenticeship program, visit: http://www.abcwi.org/apprenticeship/index.asp
About NWTC Apprenticeship Programs
An apprenticeship is an earn-while-you-learn program of on-the-job training combined with related classroom instruction. The state of Wisconsin has recognized more than 300 apprenticeable occupations, including HVAC.
Apprentices who have completed their training and obtained journey level status are eligible for 32 credits for prior learning toward an Individualized Technical Studies-Journeyworker associate degree.
For more information about the occupations served by NWTC, call Todd Kiel, NWTC apprenticeship manager, (920) 498-5704.
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