TECH | 2018 7 NTCA University Becky Serbin is the NTCA Training and Education Coordinator. She is overseeing the development of apprenticeship train- ing curriculum, utilizing online learn- ing modules available for members to train both new installers entering the trade and current installers on product knowledge and industry stan- dards. Currently, NTCA members can use these courses to develop their own company apprenticeship programs, and they can work with federal and state Departments of Labor to have the program moni- tored and approved. In a new development, NTCA is working now to gain federal approval to be an administrator of our own apprenticeship program. This should allow the asso- ciation to seek partners in educational and vocational schools, and use our members to offer supportive train- ing and most importantly, jobsite experience to go with the curriculum. This is important because companies that only need a few apprentices to come to work for them – but who don’t have the resources to develop their own program – could work with NTCA to solve this challenge. We hope to roll out this program in 2019 to our members. Technical Services NTCA has hired Stephanie Samulski, formerly with the Tile Council of North America (TCNA), as our Director of Technical Services. She will work closely with our Technical Director Mark Heinlein, Technical Trainers and Training and Education Coordinator to provide technical content, consistency and accuracy in our program develop- ment. Training and Certification programs NTCA Technical Trainers now offer regional hands-on training in many areas, helping installers master their skills, and preparing them for certifica- tion tests being offered by the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation. Certification is important to help instill consumer confidence in our industry’s ability to perform successful installations with today’s innovative but changing technology. Large-format, gauged porcelain tile panels and slabs are a perfect exam- ple of this. Certification and training are essential for these products because even highly skilled installers who have been in the field for years will admit this is a different type of installation than what they were trained for. Marketing focus on recruitment One thing we’ve realized is we need to promote and market our training and industry certi- fication programs to our industry and to consumers, builders and general con- tractors who are looking to us to solve their problems. So NTCA hired Avia Haynes as Director of Marketing and Communications to help create pro- grams to recruit workers, promote certi- fication and training, increase participa- tion and engagement in our programs. We realize that many things will need to happen for us to be successful. Recruiting young people into our industry who have the desire to learn a trade is essential. NTCA provides important tools to our members – apprenticeship programs and online learning systems such as NTCA University – to help prepare work- ers quickly, and to help them to become certified and highly skilled. Marketing their skills to consumers to instill confidence in our industry is the final piece to this puzzle. NTCA prides itself on being a leader in the tile industry, and we will continue to work with manufacturers, distribu- tors and our contractor members to help ensure our trade can meet this important challenge in the next several years. Becky Serbin, Training and Education Coordinator Avia Haynes, Marketing and Communications Director Stephanie Samulski, Director of Technical Services Mark Heinlein, Technical Director TRAINING AND EDUCATION (continued) Connect with us on social media Visit our website today www.tile-assn.com