With the Apprentice Competition marking the end of the apprenticeship school year at Griffin Electric, the activities that apprentices participated in during the day represented an opportunity for students to work together in teams and showcase what they have learned throughout the year. Apprentices enrolled in Griffin’s program acquire a mix of classroom instruction, hands-on training, and on-the-job learning.
Teams took turns rotating at different stations, including Jeopardy and Break the Code, which were trivia focused, while more hands-on events designed to test skills included: Pipe Bending, a Snap Circuit Challenge, Racecar Rally, as well as laying out conduit points and installing branch circuits. A tailgating station comprised of various physical and mental challenges, and a vendor presentation geared toward fall protection were also part of the competition day. Lastly, a Build a Bike station called on each team to work together to assemble children’s bicycles, all 60 of which were donated by the company to local charities, along with helmets.
The day capped off with a barbecue luncheon and a series of prizes that were raffled off to both apprentices and instructors of the program. Prizes were also awarded to the top scoring teams based on results from the day’s events, while every apprentice, instructor, and event staff member received a commemorative Apprentice Competition T-shirt.
Griffin Electric’s Apprenticeship Training Program is fully accredited by the National Center for Construction Education and Research and designated as an approved training site by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.