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Did you attend the Remodeling Show | DeckExpo | JLC LIVE (R|D|J) on Oct. 6 and 7 in Baltimore, Maryland? If you did, you had the opportunity to see proper tile installation firsthand, and ask questions of installation experts, Scott Carothers from CTEF and Mark Heinlein from NTCA (pictured above).
>> See Why Scott Carothers Cares Intensely About Tile Installation Certification and Education
>> See Mark Heinlein on 5 Benefits of Being a Certified Tile Installer
Interested in differentiating your business? Try tile installation certification. This article highlights J&R Tile, Inc. in San Antonio, Texas, which has successfully differentiated its business through the Certified Tile Installer (CTI) program.
We caught up with Erin Albrecht, J&R Tile Director of Operations and daughter and niece of the company co-founders, to learn more.
Having members of the tile industry come together to address installation issues, new product introductions and customer questions makes the work of the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation really exciting. Ultimately, this truly kicks tile industry education up a knotch or two and more.
Take Karl Parker CTI #1188 who believes strongly in industry education. Karl is the next Certified Tile Installer (CTI) to be featured in the CTEF Blog series about Qualified Labor based on articles in TileLetter.com.
According to Kevin Hurla CTI# 1053, "The whole Certified Tile Installer (CTI) process has information that installers should know to ensure proper installation."
Kevin is the first Certified Tile Installer to be featured in a new CTEF Blog series about Qualified Labor based on articles in TileLetter.com.
>> See “Knowledge is power,” for recently-certified installer Kevin Hurla of Fox Ceramic Tile
In 5 Benefits of Being a Certified Tile Installer, we mentioned that a certified installer is considered 'qualified labor' as defined by the Tile Council of North America (TCNA). Quality tile installation is at the heart of all of the education and tile installation certification programs CTEF offers. Needless to say, this topic is near and dear to our hearts!
If you are considering becoming a Certified Tile Installer, your future looks bright! You see, flooring installers - and particularly quality installers - are in short supply. In fact, the floor covering industry considers this so critical that it held an Installation Summit focused on installation issues and opportunities, including those relevant to tile.
The Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) depends on the support of the entire tile industry - individuals and companies alike - to make quality tile installation possible.
It's a combination of vision and imagining the "what if" possibilities of creating something from scratch, not to mention intense collaboration with people who have the right creative attitude, and who generously contribute time and money.
>> See About CTEF
One such collaborative visionary is Joseph Lundgren of JL Consulting and formerly of Dal-Tile. We caught up with Joe to ask him a few questions.
In this blog, we will share with you information about what we love to do most: provide education and installer certification for professionals working in the ceramic tile and stone industry so end users will enjoy their tile installations for years to come.
Certified Tile Installer Mike Corona says,
You don't become a tile installer or a business owner overnight. It takes time, enthusiasm, pride, reliability, respectfulness, a willingness to learn, and dedication. No two jobs are the same; each one has its own unique nuances. As a qualified installer, you need to be able to communicate how to deal with those nuances and qualify yourself to not only meet but exceed expectations. Being qualified will exponentially increase your value and you will have endless opportunities.
Mike Corona CTI #923 Corona Marble and Tile
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The Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) provides training and installer certification for professionals working in the ceramic tile and stone industry.
The CTEF Certified Tile Installer (CTI) program is the only third-party assessment of installer skill and knowledge that is recognized by the tile industry.