For the second time in three years, Milwaukee Area Technical College instructor Thomas V. Kennedy won first place in the professional division at the IDEAL Electrician National Championship competition held September 13-14, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida.
MATC construction electrician apprentice Kyle Bath took second place in the apprenticeship division. Also competing was MATC construction electrician apprentice Ian Papke.
“I am so proud of these students and the hard work they did to qualify,” Kennedy said. “The effort they put forward in the competition really showed.”
Kennedy, who became a full-time instructor at MATC in 2009, took home $10,000 for his finish. Bath won $7,000.
Kennedy won first place at the competition, which is part of the ServiceTitan Elite Trades Championship Series, in 2022. He made the semifinals in the 2021 competition.
“This is a competition that proves that we know what we’re doing and love doing it,” Kennedy said after finishing first in 2022. “Electricity is a unique field. You need both strength and the brains to understand the science of what you’re doing, and do it correctly.”
In order to reach the finals, competitors from across the country completed two qualifying rounds. In the first round they answered a five-minute digital challenge to test their general knowledge. Then, the electricians who answered the most questions correctly received an at-home test to display their skills and workmanship. The top five professionals and top 10 apprentices received an all-expenses-paid trip to the finals in Florida.
The finals consisted of several challenges: Installing a subpanel, wiring a feeder line, installing an air exchanger, wiring a heat pump and repairing a faculty outlet.
“In all it was about eight hours of work that you had to get done in 90 minutes,” Kennedy said.
Competitors were judged on the quality of their work, how long they took to complete the work, correctly using tools and equipment and adhering to safety standards.
The 2024 finals will be televised Friday, December 20, at 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
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