Today, traveling road shows are very much a thing of the past. But wouldn’t it be fun to rekindle some of the excitement and spirit of those days? For some people, annual tradeshows and conventions are an opportunity to do just that. 

FCEF reflects on its achievements for the past two and half years with a look toward its goals for the future.

On January 8, 2024, nine high school students will begin their flooring installation career journey through the dual-enrollment partnership between The Dalton Academy (TDA), a Whitfield County area high school, and Georgia Northwestern Community College (GNTC).

Georgia Northwestern Technical College and The Dalton Academy, a high school in Dalton Georgia, have established a dual-enrollment program partnership where students can complete the 12-credit hour Flooring Installation Technician course while still in high school. This is an industry first.  

The Basic Floor Covering Installation program developed by the Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF) and its partners is now being offered at Chattanooga State Community College (CSCC) in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Classes begin December 11, 2023, and are eligible for scholarship through the FCEF. 

Those interested in becoming a flooring installer are now eligible for scholarships to cover the full cost of tuition for installation training up to $2,500 through the Floor Covering Education Foundation’s (FCEF) new promotion “100 in 100."

Surfaces Construction Group, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, hosted a two-day Certified Flooring Installers (CFI) certification for hardwood, laminate and luxury vinyl plank (LVP) on November 2-3. 

CFI launched its new advanced training course in Louisville, Kentucky at Fishman Flooring Solutions. The training spanned three days and was broken into two courses: flash cove training and seam construction.

Reuben Potter, owner, Floors By Southern Boys, dedicates time each week to creating how-to videos to help fill in knowledge gaps for other flooring installers. With over 30 years’ experience, he goes beyond videos to offer workshops annually. 

The panel discussion "Building on Common Ground" on September 22, 2023, will be moderated by Beth Miller, managing editor of Floor Trends and Floor Covering Installer.