NTMA Kentuckiana Chapter Champion Places First

Seven Regional Champions from across the United States recently participated in the 36th NTMA/NIMS National Apprentice Competition in Cleveland, OH. For the second straight year, the Swiss Embassy to the United States played a unique role in the competition, as it sponsored a 10-day expense paid trip to Switzerland for the top three competitors.

Andrew Sears (Six Sigma) of Louisville, KY received top honors in the competition, with Lucas Starch of Germantown, WI and James Moody of Niles, MI placing second and third, respectively. The Swiss Ambassador to the U.S., the Honorable Urs Ziswiler, presented the three winners with their awards.

While in Switzerland this September, the winners will observe 6 companies' operations and apprentice programs. This opportunity is part of a program called ?Think Swiss? involving the Embassy of Switzerland, Swiss Consulates and the Swiss Trade Commission in the U.S. Following the trip, the apprentices will return to Chicago for a special workforce development conference where they will serve as VIP panelists.

Sears also claimed the honorary title of ?Eagle Eye," following a challenge that tested the participants' ability to measure multiple dimensions of a slot on a machined block to the nearest ten-thousandth of an inch using only a steel rule. Several competitors achieved results of less than .0005 in total variance for the task.

GF AgieCharmilles (Lincolnshire, IL) provided this year's Grand Prize for the 16th consecutive year, awarding the top competitor a 30 percent discount from the list price of selected models of the company's EDMs or high-speed machining centers. In addition to the 30 percent discount on a machine purchase, the Grand Prize package also includes additional savings on tools and accessories. Depending on the package chosen, the total prize value can exceed $100,000.

The event, which was hosted by the NTMA Cleveland Chapter and Cuyahoga Community College, required contestants to produce parts using lathes, mills and surface grinders, as well as demonstrate their general knowledge in a written exam. To compete in apprentices had to win their local competition and successfully complete the online exam for the NIMS Machining Level 1: Measurement, Materials and Safety credential.

For more information on the NTMA or the National Apprentice Competition, please visit www.ntma.org.