In 2018, our training department, led by NTCA Training Director Mark Heinlein and supported by Technical Trainers Robb Roderick, Scott Carothers and Luis Bautista, presented more than 20 NTCA Regional Training programs. These events were day-long training ses- sions, offered to NTCA members and their employees, as a response to years of requests for this type of educational content. As the year progressed, our program improved, so much so that at the end of 2018, our members were not only sing- ing the praises of the content of the education, they were calling for more. More programs, more opportunity to network and share ideas and techniques together, more hands-on experience, etc. NTCA Assistant Executive Director Jim Olson is responsi- ble for the scheduling and overall management of the process related to workshops, and regional train- ing. Workshops – as a reminder – are what the NTCA became known for the past 40 or so years. These were evening educational events offered as an overview of installa- tion best practices, product stan- dards awareness, and introduction of new technology to the trade. Last year, NTCA trainers offered both the traditional workshop ses- sions, and we also introduced the NTCA Regional Training program. In 2019, although we will continue down this path (in fact there will still be more than 100 traditional NTCA Workshops offered in 2019), we will expand and combine these two programs into a one-week long experience in many cities across the nation. Titled the “NTCA Training Experience,” our trainers will work with a local regional host to offer a threefold week-long program. This TRAINING & EDUCATION ––––––––––––– NTCA Training Experience 2019: a new approach to educate, train and inform By Bart Bettiga, NTCA Executive Director 70 TileLetter | February 2019