PHCC Educational Foundation, SkillsUSA Partner for Nationwide Plumbing Competition

The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC) Educational Foundation recently teamed up with SkillsUSA to host a national plumbing competition at the 2025 SkillsUSA Championships in Atlanta. The week-long event brought together over 6,700 skilled secondary and post-secondary trade school students for 114 competitions aimed at showcasing talent in the plumbing industry. 

This year's winners include: 

• First place secondary: Beckham Dickson, Davis Technical College, Utah
• First place post-secondary: Jonathan Gann, Texas State Technical College, Texas
• Second place secondary: Joey Gibbs, Harris County High Schools CTAE, Georgia
• Second place post-secondary: Thomas Larson, Davis Technical College, Utah
• Third place secondary: Konner Namken, Smithville ISD, Texas
• Third place post-secondary: Grant Parker, Liberty University, Virginia

Albeit integral to the construction sector, the plumbing trade is experiencing numerous challenges – from a labor shortage due to an aging workforce, to an influx of new technologies which is contributing to a skills gap. The Foundation, through the PHCC Academy®, focuses on assessing workforce readiness, introducing individuals to rewarding opportunities within the plumbing and HVACR industries, providing the necessary education for career success, and preparing trades professionals to obtain all mandatory certifications required to excel in their field. While the Foundation and SkillsUSA have worked on furthering this mission for more than three decades, there is a heightened focus on the trades due to President Trump’s recent Executive Order on Worker Investment and Development, emphasizing the need to invest in local workforce and training.

As part of their overall mission, the Foundation supported plumbing competitors throughout the SkillsUSA Championships process, funding the event, helping to secure piping materials, tools and equipment, as well as providing guidance, mentorship, and judging panel volunteers. The donated materials were used to install the bathroom infrastructure at the plumbing competition, as well as for the Teamwork competition – a discipline challenging teams of four to build tiny houses in 48 hours with special attention to carpentry, masonry, electric, and plumbing.