GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan, March 31—ABC Western Michigan today announced that Joe Montney Jr., apprentice at Total Fire Protection and student at the West Michigan Construction Institute, earned first place in the Fire Sprinkler competition at the 2026 National Craft Championships.
Joe won ABC Western Michigan’s local craft competition in December, advancing to the national stage during ABC Convention 2026 in Salt Lake City this month.
The 37th annual competition showcased the skills of more than 200 of the nation’s best craft professionals in trades like carpentry, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, power line and welding. The competitors vied for top honors in 15 competitions, with skills displayed across 11 crafts. The competition included a two-hour online exam and a six-hour practical performance test.
ABC’s National Craft Championships annually highlight the achievements of those who are the future of the construction industry. Craft trainees and apprentices travel from all over the country to demonstrate their superior skills, training, and safe work practices, and compete for top honors in their chosen craft. For the training sponsors, employers and ABC chapters, the NCC demonstrates a strong commitment to the career paths the construction industry offers.
“There are exciting opportunities to pursue multiple career paths in construction, and this national competition showcases exactly what those paths look like,” said 2026 Chair of the ABC National Board of Directors Thomas “Murph” Murphy, vice president, Power & Construction Group, Scottsville, New York. “These champions are outstanding in their crafts and have a bright career path ahead of them. Congratulations to the honorees and all competitors, who are true craft professionals.”
ABC’s all-of-the-above approach to workforce development has produced a network of ABC chapters across the country that offer more than 800 apprenticeship, craft, safety and management education programs—including more than 450 government-registered apprenticeship programs across 20 different occupations—to build the people who build America.
View the full list of winners of the 2026 National Craft Championships.
