The CFA is delighted to announce that the winner of the 2023 Flooring Apprentice of the Year competition, is Mike Waldron from Hillside Contracts Ltd, Leicester. This year saw more completed entries for the three judges to look over than any previous year, received from all corners of the UK. The outstanding submission from Mike though made it clear to the judges that his entry set him apart from the competition. Alongside excellent answers to the application questions, Mike also provided a fantastic case study based on a 4,400 square metre commercial flooring project he worked on for his employer coverings a wide range of flooring types. Mike also supplies the judges with an in-depth video highlighting his learnt skills in practice and included a voiceover of how he became to be a floorlayer and his ambition to help others do the same by becoming a Go Construct STEM Ambassador for Flooring and supporting the CFA Future Fitters campaign. The application was also backed with great recommendations from both his employer and his tutor that led the judges to their unanimous decision that Mike was a more than worthy winner.
The CFA have proudly promoted this award for over ten years, and we are delighted with the levels of engagement from employers, apprentices, training providers and sponsors. The competition has become a regular feature in the flooring industry calendar and highlights the dedication and achievements of flooring apprentices across the UK. It is a platform for apprentices to highlight the skills that they have learnt during their apprenticeship and for the companies that employ the apprentices to get involved, it shows their commitment to training their workforce and their investment in the next generation of flooring fitters.
Mike was presented with his award and prizes on Thursday 15 June 2023 at the Flooring Industry Training Association (FITA) training centre in Loughborough. Mike had the following to say about winning the competition;
“To be crowned CFA Flooring Apprentice of the Year 2023 is an incredible feeling, to win an award judged by the CFA is an amazing moment in my flooring apprenticeship. Coming into the flooring industry can be daunting but I have been overwhelmed by the huge range of support, training and guidance offered from so many avenues in the trade. I would like to thank everyone who has helped me to get here, everyone at Floortrain including my tutors Dean and Keith and all of the great team at Hillside Contracts who have been so generous with their time and sharing their experiences, in particular Dave Williams.”
Each year the Flooring Apprentice of the Year competition is sponsored and supported by more than 20 of the flooring sector’s leading manufacturers, generously donating prizes. The prize list this year included a specialist flooring tool kit comprising of named workwear, tool bags, a range of hand and power tools, adhesives and sub floor preparation products, moisture measuring equipment and a range of accessories including personal protective equipment. The prize list also includes £1000 in cash, product vouchers and online shopping vouchers worth. Finally, Mike has also won 2 free training courses to further his knowledge, skills and expertise with the whole prize list worth over a staggering £7000!
Jo Singer, Director at Hillside Contracts Ltd said;
“We are absolutely thrilled that Mike has been awarded the winner of the CFA 2023 Flooring Apprentice of the Year Competition. He has worked extremely hard over the last year and has shown outstanding dedication to learning. Mike is a great asset to Hillside Contracts Ltd along with our other four apprentices who have all exceeded our expectations. Our apprentices are a vital part of the longevity of our company and the flooring industry, and we encourage others to invest in the next generation of floor layers.”
Mike attends Floortrain Training Centre for his off-the-job training and Director Dominic Ormondroyd had the following to say;
“Everyone at Floortrain is extremely proud to hear about Mike winning the CFA Flooring Apprentice of the year competition 2023. This achievement clearly demonstrates Mike’s passion towards the flooring industry which underpins the determination towards his ambition to become an accomplished and successful Floorlayer. We hope that Mike’s achievement will inspire other apprentices and help attract more like-minded individuals into the industry. We’d like the thank the Contract Flooring Association for running the competition and for their continued efforts with championing and promoting the Floorlayer apprenticeship programme.”
