About the Floor Covering Education Foundation
The Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF), a 501c3 nonprofit, was created in January 2020 to address challenges affecting the flooring industry. These challenges were studied by Blackstone Group, and their report documented the pressures the industry faced, most stemming from a lack of qualified flooring installers. Their report identified and quantified the current national installation crisis. Without a change, the floor covering industry will continue to lose approximately 4,000-6,000 installers each year for the next ten years.
The FCEF was created by the major manufacturers and trade associations to establish clear pathways to bring a new generation into the flooring industry and create a strong foundation for the future of the industry.
The Basic Floor Covering Installation Program
The FCEF, in partnership with industry training and education partners, created a ten-week Basic Floor Covering Installation program through the Technical College System of Georgia to provide hands-on training and basic skill development to prepare students for a career in flooring installation. The program, which launched at Georgia Northwestern Technical College in January 2020, is accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Program Implementation
As of January, 2023, the Whitfield Murray Campus of Georgia Northwestern Technical College in Dalton, GA, and Atlanta Technical College in Atlanta, GA, were both offering the Basic Floor Covering Installation program. The program is expanding to include Piedmont College in Atlanta, GA, as well as Hawkeye Community College in Cedar Falls, IA, Long Beach Community College in Long Beach, CA, North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene, ID, and Ivy Tech in Indianapolis, IN. The FECF's goal is to expand to more than 200 technical colleges nationwide over the next five years.
Resources
For more information about the installation training classes, view the storyline video below that features an actual class at Georgia Northwestern Technical College. This video is a good demonstration of the Basic Floor Covering Installation program, which teaches students the basics of surface preparation, resilient, carpet, hardwood, and tile installation.
The Journey to Becoming a Flooring Installer:
Story line video of the 10-week training program at the Georgia Northwestern Technical College.
Installer Video:
What Real Craftsmen say....Life as a flooring craftsman
Student Videos:
- flooryourfuture.com FCEF’s website targeted to individuals considering a flooring installation career.
- fcef.org
- Facebook page
- Instagram page
- Linked In page
- Twitter page
- YouTube