Floorboards’ national training centre at Tipton was officially opened last week.
The flooring distributor Floorboards, which is part of the Timbmet Group, has established the centre to run a range of wood and laminate floor product knowledge and installation training courses for everyone from the most seasoned flooring contractor to re-sellers and training personnel.
Already more than 20 people have signed up for the first hardwood and laminate flooring installation courses at the centre which is headed up by training and technical manager Sid Bourne – an acknowledged expert on hardwood flooring and a member of a Contract Flooring Association committee which is revising the code of practice for laying floors.
Many of Floorboards’ suppliers are sponsoring the centre but Mr Bourne emphasises that the training will focus on the installation and maintenance of wood based flooring systems as opposed to any specific brand.
A document published by the Construction Industry Training Board earlier this year said that more than 1,000 floorlayers must be recruited every year for the next five years simply to maintain the present workforce and satisfy demand.
A key task identified was the need to raise the provision of training by companies and private providers to fill the technical and practical skills gap in floorlaying.
Floorboards managing director Graham Oakley said: ‘This gap is due in part to price competition which has forced some companies to ignore problems with workers’ skills.’
However, he says, highly skilled workers ultimately reduce complaints, adding: ‘We’re not just paying lip service to the training and recruitments in floorlaying today.’
Floorboards is running two-day hardwood flooring installers courses and one-day laminate flooring installers courses. Sanding and finishing courses are expected to start early next year.
