This year’s Northwest Regional Apprenticeship Contest, held at the Pasco, Washington, JATC in May, brought together apprentices from across Washington and Oregon. For three days, apprentices from Local 66, Western Washington; Local 16, Oregon & SW Washington; Local 55, Eastern Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana; and Local 24, Alaska, demonstrated their specialized skills in each sheet metal sector.
“Every year, apprentices from our region gather for a competition to showcase their skills in one of four divisions: HVAC, Industrial, Architectural, and Service,” says Sheet Metal Institute’s Training Coordinator, Ben Wood. “This event offers the excitement of friendly competition, along with valuable opportunities for networking and building camaraderie.”
Seven apprentices from Local 16 competed. Steven Steward and Bryan McGee competed representing the Industrial sector, Malachi Walbridge and Edward Burnacci competed in HVAC, Edwin Graham and Blake Shields took on Architectural, and Andrew Diaz showcased Service expertise.
“The competition was outstanding, well-organized, and full of energy,” says Sheet Metal Institute Executive Administrator, Will Thompson. “The apprentices were deeply engaged, and it was clear how much hard work had gone into preparing for this event.”
Winners:
• Malachi Walbridge: 1st place HVAC
• Edwin Graham: 2nd place Architectural
“It takes months of planning to pull something like this together, and the results really showed,” Thompson says. “I’m especially looking forward to 2026, when the contest will be held at the Sheet Metal Institute here in Portland.”
The competition was supported by the generosity of sponsors like Milwaukee Tool and DeWalt. “Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors,” Wood says. “Every competitor and participant is rewarded for their hard work and dedication with amazing give-aways and prizes. We’re always proud to see the talent in our trade and local communities on display.”
Learn more about Sheet Metal Institute at sheetmetalinstitute.org
