b'TRAINING & EDUCATIONerative effort amongst several CTIsport from my admin Brianna.to teach the program. This year, theyBebek originally became involved areaddinganinstructorwithanwith the co-op after her company extensive mud background to teachhadacontractthatrequiredthe theyear-twoapprenticesproperuse of an apprentice. After reach-mud techniques. He also said thereingouttoNorthwestCollegeof will be changes in the days classesConstruction,whichwasinthe areoffered.Allclasseslastyearprocessofdissolvingitsprogram, were on Friday, he said. This year,DirkSullivanofHawthorneTile, fi tile setters will have classand interviewing too many settersrst-year on Fridays. Then year-two tile settersthat had not been properly trained, and tile fi nishers will have class onshedecidedshewantedtohelp Saturdays. Since tile fi worktrain the next generation of setters.nishers withtilesettersandpartoftheirMypassionquicklyturnedfrom learningisapplyingtoppingmud,I have to have an apprentice to I theco-opthoughtthatitwouldhave to start training people and if make sense for the tile fi totheyhavebeentrained,breakingnishers not only learn the fi nishing tasks inthemofthebadhabitsthatthey a separate space but to also spendpickedupfromYouTubevideos time with tile setters learning theirorothersinthetrade,shesaid. tasks in the mud process. People may have the attitude that The fi year has been success- you can get away with a lot of badrst ful for the co-op. This is due to theworkincommercialbutherein co-opmembersthathavecom- Portland,theownersrequiretop-mitted their time to the programsnotch quality so that means I have success.to employ top notch setters.Nancy Bebek, owner of PrestigeAccordingtoOcchipinti,while Tile & Stone, Inc. and co-chair ofhis company has experienced pos-the co-op, and her son Nick Bebek,itive change since becoming part theco-opchair,havededicatedof the co-op, he too is benefi tting lots of time to the program. Withfromitsinvolvement.Working Nick and me now as the chairs, wewith the other companies, it is a have to stay on top of everything.rewarding feeling that we are try-If someone commits to something,ingtobetterthetrade,hesaid. we have to make sure that they fol- Whilethereisaninvestment low through so I actually have myintotheapprenticesthatweput adminspendingtimegettingthethrough the program, we feel that right information and following upit is the right decision. In fact, an witheveryone.IdontthinkthatemployeeandIwillbeteaching Nick and I could have taken on thisthefi rstfourclassesofyear-one role if we didnt have the offi ce sup- tile setters this coming year.64 TileLetter | November 2019'