{"id":65413,"date":"2026-06-15T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/?p=65413"},"modified":"2026-06-08T08:39:02","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T12:39:02","slug":"built-to-teach-abcs-2026-craft-instructor-of-the-year-tatton-kilmer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/article\/built-to-teach-abcs-2026-craft-instructor-of-the-year-tatton-kilmer\/","title":{"rendered":"Built to Teach: ABC\u2019s 2026 Craft Instructor of the Year Tatton Kilmer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tatton Kilmer never really fit the mold of a traditional classroom student. Growing up around ranchers, electricians, framers and finish carpenters in Utah, he was drawn to working with his hands long before he considered construction as a career. Later, after trying the college route while playing sports, he realized something was missing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t do the classroom,\u201d Kilmer says. \u201cAs soon as sports were done, I was like, this isn\u2019t for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What was for him, though, was building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Kilmer is ABC\u2019s 2026 Craft Instructor of the Year, a recognition that honors not only his technical expertise and commitment to apprenticeship education, but also the energy, empathy and mentorship he brings to every classroom and jobsite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When he first heard the news, the longtime ABC Southern California<\/a> plumbing instructor says he was \u201cdumbfounded.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is something that I genuinely am incredibly honored by,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s such a big passion and part of my life. The money\u2019s not what means anything to me. It\u2019s the fact that I get to help and be a part of these individuals\u2019 lives changing like what happened for me when I was an apprentice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SERVICE BEFORE SELF<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Kilmer\u2019s journey with ABC began as a student. He entered the ABC Southern California commercial plumbing apprenticeship program in 2007 after hearing about the opportunity from a family member. He quickly immersed himself in the trade, eventually earning his journeyman and master-level plumbing certifications, winning Local Craft Championships<\/a> and being named Plumbing Student of the Year in 2012.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But even as his own career advanced\u2014from apprentice to foreman, project manager and eventually preconstruction manager at Z3 Plumbing<\/a>\u2014Kilmer found himself drawn back to the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I started the program, I had a phenomenal instructor,\u201d he says. \u201cThen I had two years of okay instruction, and then I had him again, and I realized I needed to do something to help him and become a teacher like him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That experience shaped what would become Kilmer\u2019s teaching philosophy: \u201cStudent. Service. Success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Kilmer, instruction is fundamentally an act of service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo many times growing up in schools, I always felt left out by my instructors,\u201d he says. \u201cI felt like they weren\u2019t doing it for the right reasons. When you have that service mentality behind you, that\u2019s where you\u2019re going to get your success. That\u2019s where you\u2019re looking for the students\u2019 success\u2014not just your own.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the last 13 years, Kilmer has taught every level of ABC SoCal\u2019s plumbing apprenticeship program, designing lesson plans, hands-on labs and competition projects that connect classroom theory to real-world applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His students have taken notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTatton exemplifies a students-first philosophy,\u201d reads his award nomination. \u201cHis positive attitude, creativity and ability to communicate complex concepts foster a learning environment that inspires excellence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FRIENDS AND FAMILY:<\/strong> Left, Kilmer walks the National Craft Championships floor with apprentices. Right, Kilmer and his family spend time at Disneyland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A CLASSROOM THAT FEELS REAL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ask Kilmer what defines his personality, and he laughs before answering: \u201cGoofy, fun-loving, but very serious and dedicated to what I do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That balance, he says, is critical when teaching apprentices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet\u2019s face it\u2014everybody that gets into apprenticeship programs, we didn\u2019t fit the mold to the normal office world,\u201d he says. \u201cBeing in the classroom and making it fun, making it entertaining and something more than just \u2018you have to be here,\u2019 allows my students to fully get the message I\u2019m trying to get across.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kilmer\u2019s lessons extend far beyond pipefitting and code books. Communication, professionalism and accountability are recurring themes in his classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI always talk about communication,\u201d he says. \u201cThink about the way you email. Think about the way you talk in a foreman\u2019s meeting. Think about the way you talk to your boss or even an inspector. It\u2019s incredibly important to comprehend how communication happens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also emphasizes the value of merit-shop opportunity and self-advocacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou being the biggest proponent for yourself is incredibly important,\u201d he says. \u201cIf you want opportunity, that\u2019s where merit shop comes in, because you have that ability unlike anywhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As chair of ABC Southern California\u2019s Multilateral Apprenticeship Committee, Kilmer helps oversee plumbing, low-voltage and sheet metal apprenticeship programs while also serving on the chapter\u2019s Craft Championships Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of his favorite parts of teaching? Coaching apprentices for the National Craft Championships.
\u201cI always tell them, set the goal of getting to local craft champs, competing there, winning, going to Nationals and winning there,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under Kilmer\u2019s guidance, ABC SoCal plumbing competitors have medaled in the national competition every year since 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Kilmer\u2019s passion for apprenticeships is deeply personal. The trade gave him a career without student debt, financial stability in Southern California and a pathway to leadership. Now, he wants others to have the same opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cApprenticeships are the lifeblood of this country,\u201d he says. \u201cYou\u2019re going to come out of it both knowing why to do it and how to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He carries that mission into outreach events, career fairs and high school presentations, where he speaks with students about alternatives to the traditional four-year college route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis industry is dying because of the lack of schools pushing students into understanding there\u2019s more than one option,\u201d he says. \u201cFor those of us that want to work with our hands, there are so many other avenues out there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kilmer is also passionate about modernizing the industry through technology. In his classroom, he incorporates digital estimating tools, BIM resources like Revit, smart whiteboards and live interactive quizzes to help apprentices engage with the same technology they will encounter in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, for all the advancements in software and AI, Kilmer believes the heart of construction remains deeply human.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUntil computers get thumbs, I don\u2019t see that happening,\u201d he jokes when asked whether AI could replace construction workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LEAVING A LEGACY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At home, Kilmer\u2019s world revolves around family. He and his wife spend time gaming, attending Renaissance fairs and raising their two-and-a-half-year-old son. Becoming a father, he says, only reinforced the way he views his students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI looked at all my students as my sons for a lot of the time,\u201d he says. \u201cNow it\u2019s reinforced even more how important it is that I do this for both my son and them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That care extends to his emphasis on mental health and safety in the trades. Kilmer openly discusses the construction industry\u2019s high suicide rates with students and reminds them that no job is more important than their wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNothing is so terrible or so unfortunate that it should step in front of you taking care of yourself and your family,\u201d he says. \u201cIf you\u2019ve got to take a moment, step away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, the legacy Kilmer hopes to leave is one centered on compassion and passing knowledge forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is our requirement to be the ones passing that on,\u201d he says of experienced tradespeople mentoring younger workers. \u201cIt is not a trade secret. It is guaranteed success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Kilmer, teaching has never been about recognition or titles. It has always been about ensuring the next generation of craft professionals has the opportunities, mentorship and support he once received himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love the trades,\u201d he says. \u201cI love the fact that we as individuals have the opportunity to do something so important. Help share the knowledge. Help bring more people into this.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cI get to help and be a part of these individuals\u2019 lives changing like what happened for me when I was an apprentice.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":65414,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"63420,64385,62712,63230,64524,63396","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[43,97,98,102,31,40],"tags":[8873,8410,8884,8582,8442],"ppma_author":[8280],"class_list":["post-65413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","category-award-winners","category-careers","category-leadership","category-top-story","category-workforce","tag-awardwinner","tag-constructionindustry","tag-contractor","tag-leadership","tag-trades","author-m-murphy"],"acf":{"intro_sentence":"\u201cI get to help and be a part of these individuals\u2019 lives changing like what happened for me when I was an apprentice.\u201d","intro_paragraph":"","is_evergreen":false,"newsletter_headline":"","newsletter_intro":"","post_ad_zone":"","post_ad_zone_2":"","post_content_ad_zone":"","small-featured-image":false},"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":8280,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"m-murphy","display_name":"Maggie Murphy","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/maggie-murphy.webp","url2x":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/maggie-murphy.webp"},"author_category":"1","first_name":"Maggie","company":"Construction Executive","work_phone":"(202) 595-1505","mobile_phone":"","company_website":"http:\/\/www.constructionexec.com\/","email":"editor@constructionexec.com","sanity_id":"author-1886","last_name":"Murphy","user_url":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/","job_title":"Editor-in-Chief","linkedin":"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/2224888\/admin\/updates\/","x":"https:\/\/twitter.com\/https:\/\/twitter.com\/constructionmag","facebook":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ConstructionMag\/","description":"Maggie leads Construction Executive\u2019s day-to-day operations and long-term strategy\u2014overseeing all print and digital content, design and production efforts, and working with the editorial team to tell the many stories of America\u2019s builders and contractors. She\u2019s a native Marylander with extensive construction industry experience and an educational background in communications, history and classical literature."}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ABCConvention2026-0069-Kilmer-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65413"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65413\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":65424,"href":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65413\/revisions\/65424"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65413"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/constructionexec.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=65413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}