IUPAT Apprentices to Showcase Skills in Live Competition at Surface Event

IUPAT Apprentices to Showcase Skills in Live Competition at TISE 2025

IUPAT Apprenticeship Comp Competitors 2025

(Left to right) 2025 IUPAT Apprenticeship Competition competitors: Jonathan Youn, Honolulu, Hawaii, DC50; Diana Jimenez, Long Beach, California, DC36; Harrison Aho, Vancouver, Washington State, DC5; and Edgar Lopez, Pittsburg, California, DC16. Photos: IUPAT.

The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) is hosting its Apprenticeship Competition, a hands-on challenge designed to showcase their Floor Covering Apprenticeship training program, during The International Surface Event taking place January 28-30 in booth 3437.

Prior to the final in Vegas, a series of one-day regional competitions are held across the various IUPAT districts where the apprentices compete against each other. IUPAT sponsors the regional winners and their families to attend the final at TISE. This year, the competitors are Jonathan Youn, Honolulu, Hawaii, DC50; Diana Jimenez, Long Beach, California, DC36; Harrison Aho, Vancouver, Washington State, DC5; and Edgar Lopez, Pittsburg, California, DC16.

"This competition is an opportunity for the apprentices to showcase their talents and skills learned in their IUPAT Floor Covering Apprenticeship,” said David Winkler, regional director, IUPAT. “It’s a chance for the IUPAT to showcase our top apprentices to the installers, contractors and manufacturers at Surfaces. It elevates our trade and brings a huge sense of pride to these apprentices. The attendees are always amazed that these aren’t seasoned installers with 10 plus years’ experience. This year I am most excited that we have our first female competitor. This will be an amazing way for other women to see that not only can females perform floor covering work, but they can also excel in this trade!"

The competitors will be installing Forbo linoleum, donated by Forbo, based on work orders produced by IUPAT’s International Floorcovering Committee that is then approved and implemented by the technical teams. Judges, made up of IUPAT staff and signatory contractors, are responsible for checking the gaps, measurements, techniques used and time to completion to determine the winning installation. Apprentices are given three days to complete their projects.

The winner will receive a monetary award as well as a toolbox filled with flooring installation-specific tools.

“Thank you Marshalltown, Bullard, Milwaukee Tool and Forbo for your support,” said Winkler.

Read: Ensuring Safety in Floor Covering Installation

Listen: IUPAT’s David Winkler on Training, Partnerships and the Future of Flooring Installation

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Beth Miller began her journalistic journey in 2005 while still working as a mechanic in her dad’s garage. She has written about everything from artists to WWII veterans and in 2010 stepped into the healthcare sector where she created digital content for 11 years. She, then, received her master’s degree in English from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. In 2017, she took the leap into the flooring industry. Here, she has discovered a place where she can apply both her technical and journalistic abilities.