Thirty-five students from the state of Wisconsin competed recently in the annual SkillsUSA state cabinetmaking competition. AWI Wisconsin Chapter members coordinated the event, under the direction of Josh Bartlett of Franklin International.

The contestants had less than eight hours to complete a side table designed by Patrick Molzahn of Madison College using wood harvested from urban ash trees. Wisconsin Urban Wood and Custom Service Hardware provided the project materials, and Madison College prepared the lumber for the contestants. 

The following winners were chosen:

High School:

Gold: Nathan Voge – Union Grove High School

Silver: Ethan Martin – Spooner High School

Bronze: Evan Huck – Grafton High School

Post-Secondary:

Gold: Jasper Bushman – WITC Rice Lake

Silver: Mason Kollwitz – WITC Rice Lake

Bronze: Ryan Erickson – WITC Rice Lake

Bartlett commented, “It’s an absolute joy to see the talent that Wisconsin schools bring to the competition every year and very encouraging that we have young woodworkers looking to become part of the solution to a widening skills gap.”

Bartlett also thanked the judges: Paul Morrison (The Wood Cycle), Dan Sickenberger (Bachmann Construction), Dwayne Sperber (Wudeward), Scott Lyon (Wisconsin DNR Division of Forestry), Steve Finnessy (Peak Lumber), Jerry Finch, Dave Nigbor, and Mark Lorge (Fox Valley Technical College).