For Mike Sima CTI #1254, that's what it's all about and why he became a Certified Tile Installer.
Mike is next in the CTEF Blog series about Qualified Labor based on articles in TileLetter.com published in June 2017 titled Certification: education and credentials add value to services offered by Mike Sima, Midtown Tile.
Did you experience Hidden Oasis at Coverings 2019? It was one of the three stunning installations featured in the newly expanded Installation & Design Experience incorporated into the National Tile Contractors Association Booth.
Brad Denny, vice president and COO of Nichols Tile & Terrazzo Co, Inc., a Five Star Contractor of the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) located outside of Nashville, TN, led the installation team behind this vignette. Brad is also Certified Tile Installer #1190 and intensely active in the tile industry:
Every Certified Tile Installer has his or her own story for wanting to become a CTI. In the case of Kris Nardone CTI #1364, it had to do with adding credibility to his installation business.
How do you prove yourself as a tile installation professional? For John Mourelatos CTI #1290, it involves becoming a Certified Tile Installer (CTI). John is next in the CTEF Blog series about Qualified Labor based on articles in TileLetter.com published in April 2017 and May 2015.
In anticipation of Coverings 2019, WhyTile has released a series of videos in support of Qualified Labor. Since it's such an important subject, we're recapturing the videos here and including relevant references from articles we've published.
We look forward to seeing you at Coverings!
Just in time for Coverings, we've created the Tile Installer Credo which consists of ten core tile installation beliefs.
If you've been following this blog, you're probably familiar with them as these are principles we don't take lightly. These beliefs keep us up at night; they motivate us to be active in the tile industry and seek out every opportunity to make believers of all those who still doubt and don't follow the industry standards and best practices for installing tile.
Here they are. Will you help us get the word out?
Inspiring those around him to aspire to higher tile standards seems second-nature to Dan Hecox, founder of Hecox Construction in York, Nebraska. That's what he does as NTCA Nebraska State Ambassador and as a Regional Evaluator for the Certified Tile Installer Program.
Dan Hecox CTI #1215 is next in the CTEF Blog series about Qualified Labor based on several articles in TileLetter.com. More specifically,
>> Dan Hecox Presents to A&D Students at University of Nebraska – Lincoln
>> Member Spotlight – Hecox Construction, Inc.
>> Qualified Labor – January 2018 – Sark Tile Supports Education by Hosting NTCA Workshop and CTI Exam
>> NTCA Nebraska State Ambassador establishes local CTI testing
To borrow from the original Fab Four, money won't buy you tile certification. Rather it's your experience and skill as a tile setter that allows you to validate your tile installation skills as a Certified Tile Installer.
That's according to Mike McLawhorn CTI #188 and Territory Sales Manager for HB Fuller.
Mike is next in the CTEF Blog series about Qualified Labor based on an article in TileLetter.com titled Mike McLawhorn: CTI credentials are confirmation of tile setter knowledge that money can’t buy.
Horrified about subpar tile installation? Become a Certified Tile Installer. That's according to John Trent CTI #277, a former tile installer, and now a territory manager for Schluter Systems since 2012. He was one of those subpar installers who now encourages all installers he meets to become Qualified Labor.
John is next in the CTEF Blog series about Qualified Labor based on an article in TileLetter.com titled John Trent: Certification - fighting the good fight against sub-par installations.
As you might imagine, we love celebrating milestones especially when they reflect hard work and appreciation for the importance of installing tile correctly the first time, adhering to tile installation standards and methods, and generally making Qualified Labor meaningful.
Here's a perfect example: Alex Smith who, after not completing the hands-on portion of the Certified Tile Installer program test in 2015, returned, passed and became CTI #1500. That's a milestone from many perspectives.
We caught up with Alex to learn more about him and his love of tile installation.
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 education 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 which is recognized by the tile industry.
