Flooring’s Hidden Gem

By Jim Aaron

The revival of skilled trades

National Skilled Trades Day is on Wednesday, May 1 this year, and it just may be America’s most important uncelebrated holiday.

Recently, there’s been a notable shift in the perception of career paths post-high school graduation. Once touted as the golden ticket to success, pursuing a four-year college degree is now facing scrutiny amidst rising concerns over soaring tuition costs, mounting student loan debt and uncertain employment prospects postgraduation. This paradigm shift has sparked a renewed interest in skilled trades as viable and rewarding career option, and we in the flooring industry need to be ready to take advantage of the trend.

The demand for skilled tradespeople in all construction-related trades far outweighs the current supply. According to Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the construction industry will need to attract 501,000 additional workers on top of the normal pace of hiring in 2024 to meet the demand for labor. According to the Blackstone Report, based on research conducted in 2018, the flooring industry is 5,000 – 6,000 of that.

But when the skilled trades are often referenced, flooring installation is rarely, if ever, mentioned. For example, on the website for Home Depot’s “Path to Pro” program, which promotes trade careers, you won’t find any mention of flooring installation. Also, for all the attention that Mike Rowe brings to the skilled trades, I’ve never heard him once mention flooring installation as he cites a list of promising trade careers. And when the Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF) exhibited at the Guidance Counselors’ convention in 2022, it was the first time the flooring industry had ever been represented in the convention’s 30-plus year history. Meanwhile, every other construction related trade had been a consistent exhibitor for the last 15 years.

So, while other construction related industries may benefit from the recent renewed interest in trade careers, the flooring industry may not because flooring installation isn’t widely known or thought of as a career option or even a skilled trade. Why is that? There are a wide variety of thoughts as to why, including: flooring installation doesn’t require licensing (in most states) like other trades do, flooring installation is promoted as a DIY project by home centers where the other trades are not and the inability for recruits to access formal installation training in most communities nationwide (which at FCEF, we are working to resolve).

Regardless, most of us would agree that because it requires specialized knowledge and training, along with specialized skills and craftsmanship, flooring installation should certainly be considered a skilled trade in the same way that plumbing, electrical and carpentry are. It’s a profession that demands technical skills, attention to detail, precision, creativity and dedication.

So, here’s the call to action for every individual in the flooring industry: Let us seize this moment of renewed interest in skilled trades and elevate the perception of flooring installation as a respected and rewarding career choice. We must all actively engage with educational institutions, vocational programs and community outreach initiatives to promote the value of a rewarding career in flooring installation.

National Skilled Trades Day on May 1 is a great day to commit to this mission by supporting the FCEF’s work. Your support will magnify the efforts we’re already making to bring greater awareness to the career path of flooring installation. Your financial support also provides training scholarships to the aspiring tradespeople we attract. It’s an investment in the future of your business and the future of our industry.

In addition, FCEF has a whole host of tools ready for retailers to use to bring greater awareness to the potential recruits in your community. These include free digital marketing assets, access to brochures specifically targeted to recruits and the high school counselors that influence career decisions, and even full job fair/career fair kits. Furthermore, the website we created, flooryourfuture.com is a great place to send a potential recruit considering a career in flooring installation.

The resurgence of interest in skilled trades represents a transformative opportunity for the flooring industry — if we’re willing to do the work to take advantage of it. By embracing this movement and championing the merits of flooring installation as a viable career choice, we can pave the way for a new generation to thrive and contribute to the continued success of our industry. Let us harness the power of passion and craftsmanship to shape a brighter future — one floor at a time.

Visit FCEF.org today to donate and/or explore opportunities to be involved. I can be reached at jaaron@fcef.org.