SAVOY, Ill. (WCIA) – A Montrose man is celebrating after taking home a trophy at an international competition in Ann Arbor, Michigan over the weekend.
Andrew Hall, a traveling plumber and member of Local 149 in Savoy, won district and state competitions in the spring and then took his skills to the next level in the union's International Apprentice Contest, taking first place, the first international title in Local 149 history.
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Hall competed with six other finalists from the United States, Canada and Australia. Each day lasted about 12 hours as they worked on multiple exercises and projects.
“I heard my name and couldn’t believe it,” he said.
That's because while listening, he didn't hear the speaker mention his hometown. But when people around him started congratulating him, he realized what was going on.
Hall said one of the biggest challenges was the time limit. His time isn't usually measured when he's out in the field, but the competition required trainees to work about 150 times faster than usual.
“It was probably one of the hardest weeks of work of my life,” he said. “You're mentally exhausted. It was a mental battle more than anything. Aside from being physically exhausted, at the end of the day your brain is just tired of thinking.”
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At the end of the day, he said it's a fulfilling feeling and he's happy to represent Central Illinois. It also allows him to look back at every step he's had to take to get to this point and he's happy to see the work pay off.
As for what's next, Hall said this is the last competition of its kind he will participate in. It was for trainees only, and he's close to completing that program. Hall is certainly not done working yet, though. In a few weeks, his family will pack up the trailer and head west for their next adventure.
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