MARATHON, Wis. (June 7, 2004) – County Materials (CMC) has been honored with the “Partner in Industry” award from SkillsUSA-VICA for outstanding support of masonry educational programs at high schools and technical colleges across the state. County Materials was presented with the award May 3 at the SkillsUSA-VICA Career Skills Expo (formerly TechExpo) at the Alliant Energy Center, Madison, WI.

This marks the second time in three years that County Materials has been recognized for its proven commitment to masonry education programs. The Wisconsin SkillsUSA-VICA student organization previously awarded County Materials with its “Business Partnership” award in 2001.

County Materials is an avid supporter of the VICA masonry training program. Since the 1980’s, County Materials has continued to promote the education and recruitment of high school and post-secondary education students to careers in masonry. To assist SkillsUSA-VICA in fulfilling its mission to provide quality education experiences for tomorrow’s high performance workers, County Materials regularly donates concrete and brick to schools for use in the classroom and student masonry competitions. In addition, County Materials gives students the opportunity to see how a block plant functions by offering tours at their manufacturing locations. As a strong champion of education, County Materials also sponsors workshops and seminars for architects, builders and contractors to help them stay on the cutting edge of their field.

SkillsUSA-VICA is a national organization that assists approximately 250,000 high school and college students and professional members who are enrolled in training programs in technical, skilled, and service occupations. For more information on the Wisconsin SkillsUSA-VICA, visit http://dpi.wi.gov/skillsusa/suwihome.html.