Partner Spotlight

Editor’s Letter: Flooring Education—Moving Forward Together

Editor’s Letter: Flooring Education—Moving Forward Together

It is nearly impossible to have a conversation with anyone in the flooring industry these days without someone uttering something about the “labor shortage.” This issue dwells on the shelves of the backs of our minds and for good reason. It impacts everyone. Solutions have presented themselves in various forms; however, there is no silver bullet at this point. Instead, it is a slow, steady slog to the finish line, requiring everyone to pull his or her weight—whatever that might look like, but things are happening.

In January, the Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF) launched its pilot program, Basic Floor Covering Installation…

Read the article at fcimag.com

FCN Recognizes People Making a Difference

FCN Recognizes People Making a Difference

Two individuals stepping up to find solutions to an industry-wide shortage of installers were featured in Floor Covering News’ May 9/16, 2022 issue. Jim Aaron, Executive Director of FCEF, nominated by Kaye Whitener was selected for his unwavering dedication to making a difference. Marquis Wright of Mr. Wright Flooring, nominated by Scott Humphrey was selected for his passion for his trade and his dedication to mentoring others. He has been supporting FCEF since it started in 2019 as an advisor and “poster child.”

This acknowledgment of both individuals is well-deserved and shows the importance of FCEF’s mission to the industry. Read more in the May 9/16, 2022 issue.

Read more at fcnews.net

FCEF Basic Floor Covering Installation Program Students Step Up

FCEF Basic Floor Covering Installation Program Students Step Up

The Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF) website reads, “It’s time to step up.” This call to action encourages anyone anywhere to support the organization and its efforts to help remedy the installation shortage. However, over the course of the 10-week Basic Floor Covering Installation Program, taking place at Georgia Northwestern Technical College, the students were the ones who stepped up.

Read more at fcimag.com

Contractor Spotlight April 2022, Preferred Flooring – Crystal Sims

Contractor Spotlight April 2022, Preferred Flooring – Crystal Sims

We’re excited to see Crystal Sims sharing her story and her partnership with FCEF in Floor Covering Installer. Crystal Sims, crew lead for family-owned Preferred Flooring, returned to The International Surface Event to compete in the Installer of the Year Competition Finals.

Read more at fcimag.com

FCEF, GNTC pilot program gains accreditation

FCEF, GNTC pilot program gains accreditation

Students are one step closer to becoming flooring installers thanks to a partnership between the Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF) and Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) that has recently received accreditation.

Starting this fall, students enrolled at GNTC’s Dalton campus can sign up for a 3-credit course (FI-41 – Flooring Installation Technician)—on a path to a technical certificate of credit.

Read more at floorcoveringnews.net

Facing Facts

Facing Facts

Mark Twain once said, “Everybody talks about the weather, but no one ever does anything about it.” Who has the most to lose if the installation labor shortage isn’t fixed? Clearly, it’s the independent flooring retailer; specifically, the small to mid-size flooring retailer. Let’s face it — professional service; specifically professional sales and installation are fundamental to the independent flooring retailer’s existence. Take just one of them away and the business model crumbles.

Large flooring retailers and national chains will solve the problem (temporarily) for themselves. And when I say solve the problem, many of them believe the solution is simply poaching installers from competing retailers, i.e., your installers. Many have the resources to do so and as the competition for talent becomes intense, they’re stepping up their game to do just that.

But, as has been the mission of the FCEF from the very beginning, we know the only true solution to the installation crisis lies in the recruitment of new talent — creating a continuous pipeline of new people into the trade.

The message I have for all small and mid-sized independent flooring retailers is this…
Read more at floorcoveringweekly.com

Shaw Floors

Shaw Floors

Founding Sponsor

Shaw Industries Group, Inc. supplies carpet, resilient, hardwood, laminate, tile and stone flooring products and synthetic turf to residential and commercial markets worldwide. We are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. with more than 20,000 associates worldwide. Shaw is headquartered in Dalton, Georgia, with salespeople and/or offices located throughout the U.S. as well as Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, France, India, Mexico, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

Mohawk Industries

Mohawk Industries

Founding Sponsor

Mohawk Industries is a leading global flooring manufacturer that creates products to enhance residential and commercial spaces around the world. Mohawk’s vertically integrated manufacturing and distribution processes provide competitive advantages in the production of carpet, rugs, ceramic tile, laminate, wood, stone and vinyl flooring. Our industry-leading innovation has yielded products and technologies that differentiate our brands in the marketplace and satisfy all remodeling and new construction requirements. Our brands are among the most recognized in the industry and include Mohawk, American Olean, Daltile, Durkan, Feltex, Godfrey Hirst, IVC, Karastan, Marazzi, Pergo, Quick-Step and Unilin. During the past two decades, Mohawk has transformed its business from an American carpet manufacturer into the world’s largest flooring company with operations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Europe, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia and the United States

Engineered Floors

Engineered Floors

Founding Sponsor

Founded in 2009 by Robert E. Shaw, Engineered Floors, LLC is a privately held carpet manufacturer based in Dalton, GA. The company serves multiple markets including retailers under the Dream Weaver® brand, Dwellings® for new home construction, Engineered Floors Multifamily for the multifamily market, Engineered Floors Hard Surface for the retail flooring market, and Pentz® Commercial Flooring Solutions for the Main Street Commercial market. Serving the Specified Commercial Market, the company operates the J+J Flooring Group and EF Contract divisions. The company operates four manufacturing facilities in North Georgia, including the largest, most modern carpet mill in the world. To learn more visit, https://www.engineeredfloors.com/ and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.

Technical School Programs

Technical School Programs

One of the contributing factors leading to the enormous lack of qualified flooring installers is the absence of any structured training program within the technical and community college systems. Other trades, with which we compete for talent, have long been present in these vital community-based education centers. We at the FCEF strongly believe that the duplication of a viable and sustainable technical college program across the country will be essential in making long-term progress in mitigating the installation labor issue.

Our pilot program is operational now at Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC). We partnered with GNTC in Dalton, GA to create a 10-week program introducing students to the four major categories of flooring and teaching them basic skills and techniques.

 

The next step is to bring replicate this program in schools across the nation. We’re looking for FCEF Champions who can help us connect with these trade schools and get these programs started. We’ve already done the heavy lifting of creating a curriculum and have documented the resources needed.

If you’d like to help us connect to your local trade school, please consider signing up to be a Trade School Champion in your area.

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