From left: MATC Electricity instructor Tom Kennedy; MATC Construction Electrician apprentice Ian Papke; and MATC Construction Electrician apprentice Kyle Bath
Here’s some not so shocking news about Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Electricity program: Instructor Thomas V. Kennedy is still one of the best in the business.
For the second time in three years, Kennedy won first place in the professional division at the IDEAL Electrician National Championship competition held in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Along with Kennedy, MATC construction electrician apprentice Kyle Bath took second place in the apprenticeship division. Also competing was MATC construction electrician apprentice Ian Papke.
Kennedy took home $10,000 for his finish, while Bath won $7,000.
“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.”
Competitors completed two qualifying rounds which placed them in the finals. In the first qualifying round they completed 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.
The finals consisted of four rounds of challenges, including wiring a hot tub, installing a solar panel and preparing a commercial pull box. Competitors were judged on quality of work and 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.
Kennedy, who became a full-time instructor at MATC in 2009, 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.”
Find out about MATC’s Electricity program
About MATC: As Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. More than 30,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 180 academic programs — many that prepare students for jobs immediately upon completion and others that provide transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 40 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.