tion. My class was filled with peo- ple who did this for living, and this was my first experience even pick- ing up a trowel. We broke up into small groups and were assigned to a room. Throughout the week, we prepped and installed the tile of our choice in our spaces. I part- nered with Kathy Meyer, Director of Marketing from the Tile Council of North America (TCNA). Together, we did part of a tub surround. Throughout the week, I was relieved to find out that everyone was eager to help other groups succeed. The experienced install- ers often helped us novices figure out next steps. Once everything was complete and set, we pulled pieces of our tiles up to check our coverage. Achieving the cor- rect coverage is much harder than many of us thought it would be, but is a lesson better learned in class than on the jobsite. While the hands-on portion was fun, the group contribution and instruction is where I learned the most. I learned that there are com- mon challenges that installers face on the job, just how much install- ers need to know to be really good at their trade, and that within this industry (unlike any other I’ve experienced) there is camaraderie, support and encouragement. Now when I walk in a room, I still notice the flooring, but now I also see installation flaws and successes. I can see if the layout wasn’t properly planned, have an idea why the tile might be crack- ing, and mentally pat the installer on the back for a job well done. It was an exhausting week and my body hated me for choosing a tub surround, but the class was an amazing experience. I will never be an installer (it requires way more math and science than I care for, and more patience than I have), but I have a new passion for instal- lation. And even though I will be calling a Certified Tile Installer for my next installation project, I’m still asking Santa for a 1/4” notched trowel, those awesome knee pads and a wet saw for Christmas. I think it is well-deserved for achieving 95% coverage on my tub-surround. TRAINING & EDUCATION ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Did I say how much I loved the knee pads?! I achieved the 95% coverage required in wet areas. Here is part of our tub surround during installation. 58 TileLetter | December 2018