The National Tooling and Machining Association’s
Annual NTMA/NIMS National Apprentice Competition
2010 National Apprentice Competition Details
ELIGIBILITY and SCOPE
PURPOSE:
To recognize and reward excellence in training and evaluate the knowledge and hands-on skills of senior apprentices and machinist trainees as they prepare themselves for rewarding careers in the precision tooling and machining industry.
ELIGIBILITY:
Active employees of an NTMA member company or students enrolled in NIMS accredited, NTMA Educator Member Institutions, who are either:
A) Serving a formal apprenticeship and completing their last or next to last year of a 4 or 5 year apprenticeship between January 1 and December 31, 2009.
OR
B) Have less than 5 years full-time employment experience in a machining related position and have achieved a minimum of 9 Machining Level I-II Credentials recognized in the NIMS Competency Based Apprenticeship Guidelines for Machinist/Tool and Die/Moldmaking/CNC Machinist at least 8 weeks prior to the date of the National Competition.
To qualify for National, participants must complete the approved projects/testing components preferably during a local competition hosted by an NTMA Chapter and be declared the winner (Regional Champion).
In situations where a chapter sponsored competition is not available, the projects and testing activities can be completed at a company or school facility under the supervision of a neutral third party official (judge). Such participants will be known as General Member Champions.
The total field for the National Competition is limited to 20 individuals. Priority will be given to Regional Champions. Assuming there are open slots, a maximum of two of the highest scoring General Member Champions can be added to the group provided their local scores are at least equal to the lowest qualifying Regional Champion, and they meet the other general eligibility criteria.
All Regional Champions and General Member Champions will also be required to show proof of successfully completing the credentialing test for NIMS Level I: Measurement, Materials, and Safety at least 30 days before the National Competition.
Sponsoring employers/schools must be NTMA (National) members in good standing a minimum of 12 months prior to the National Competition and be current in their annual dues.
SCOPE OF THE COMPETITION:
Each contestant in the NTMA National Apprentice Competition must demonstrate competency in the performance skills (duties/tasks) and associated theory (knowledge) components of the workplace including: application of fundamental computational skills, interpreting drawings and prints, evaluating technical data and graphics, applying physical science principles, and conforming to industrial safety and hygiene requirements. Competency assessment involves demonstrating hands-on performance skills in setting up and operating machine tools, producing parts to specifications, and written examination for measuring content knowledge.
Competencies to be tested are determined by the NTMA Education Team and selected from the National NTMA Apprentice Competition Technical Standards in the areas of computational, communication, service and industrial safety competencies and in precision machining, bench, inspection, and other machine tool and related manufacturing competencies. The contest will be consistent with the Duties and Standards for Machining Skills Levels I, II, and III developed by the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS). Information on the NIMS standards is available through the NIMS website at www.nims-skills.org or by calling the NTMA Publications Dept. at 1-800-832-7753.