Sheet Metal Local 10 apprentice Joe Pavek took first place in the Industrial portion of the International Sheet Metal Contest staged the last week of March in Las Vegas.

Pavek competed at the local level in December, 2005 and won that contest. He then moved on to the four-state regional contest in Rochester, Minnesota where he again took first place. Moving on to the International Contest, Pavek ultimately took first place in the Industrial portion.

The contest featured three areas of competency: Industrial, TAB, and HVAC. Pavek competed only in the Industrial area.

Out of 12,000-plus apprentices in the U.S. and Canada, only three potentially could have won a first place in the contest.

Pavek not only won first place, but won first place the second year in a row. Pavek is employed at Himec Northfield, a Harris Company.

Reprinted from the Minneapolis Labor Review.