ABC Massachusetts member wins 2019 National Craft Championship medal

The Associated Builders and Contractors of Massachusetts announced that Sean O’Dowd, an employee of member company DECCO, took home the gold medal in pipefitting at the 32nd annual National Craft Championships during the ABC Convention 2019 in Long Beach, Calif. The National Craft Championships showcases the best of the best craft professionals in the construction industry.

The championships featured a field of 168 craft professionals competing for top honors in 14 competitions representing 12 crafts, from electrical and plumbing to carpentry and welding, as well as a team competition with journey-level competitors from four different crafts working to complete a joint project. The competition includes a two-hour written exam and a day-long, hands-on practical performance test. O’Dowd, 23, is in the final year of a three-year pipefitting apprenticeship. He plans to sit for the pipefitter exam within a year; possibly as early as this summer.

“Sean was competing against skilled craftsmen who do pipefitting work every day,” said ABC Massachusetts President Greg Beeman. “Even though that isn’t the case for Sean, he proved himself to be the best pipefitter.”

Started in 1987, the National Craft Championships are a part of ABC’s effort to raise the profile of careers in construction. Each year the competition draws some of the nation’s most talented craft professionals and highlights the important role that craft skills education plays in the construction industry. A full list of National Craft Championships winners can be found here.