What do you do on weekends? In the case of the installers pictured above, they gathered to take the CTEF Certified Tile Installer (CTI) hands-on tile installation evaluation test at Daltile in San Antonio, Texas.
As the only tile industry-recognized third-party assessment of tile installation skill and knowledge, the Certified Tile Installer (CTI) program conducted by theCeramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) depends on support from the entire industry. Case in point: the first ever hands-on CTI test in New Jersey hosted by Schluter Systems.
Here's how this event came about.
Thanks to tile industry leaders like Harold Yarborough, President and CEO of D&B Tile Distributors in Florida and member of the CTEF Board of Directors, CTEF is able to bring to life and grow its mission and tile certification:
Tile industry teamwork is what powers so much of the awareness of quality labor and the importance of tile industry installation standards and best practices.
Not only do you see it happening within the Top Tile Associations and Organizations, but you see it regularly in action when hands-on Certified Tile Installer (CTI) evaluations take place, starting with the tile companies that host the evaluations.
To support the mission of the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF), Kevin Insalato of California Flooring in the Chicago area has started officially promoting tile installation certification with focus on the Certified Tile Installer (CTI) program.
Kevin is as passionate about quality tile installation as Scott Carothers is (see Why Scott Carothers Cares Intensely About Tile Installation Certification and Education). Only fitting that he should join forces with CTEF to help develop the Regional Evaluators program for tile installation certification. We caught up with Kevin to learn more.
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.
