Shane Moore explains the importance of training in LVTs.
MANY people have been on some form of training course in their career, whether it’s a first aid course, forklift, digger etc, so when it comes to flooring there is training available.
Is training is a good idea?
Some people may say I’m biased, others say: ‘What you going to learn in a dog box?’ Another common one I hear is: ‘I’ve been doing it long enough, what are you going to teach me?’ These comments are just a minority with bad attitudes.
In all honesty any form of training is good because it makes you a better person and become proficient in your skills. It allows you to be confident in your abilities and the products you’re using, so in hindsight you perform better, your client gets a great finish, and you leave that job with a sense of satisfaction.
What type of training suits me?
There are plenty of training opportunities across the UK, some of which are free. Yes, you heard, free. Many manufacturers will offer a 1-2 day course at their training centres, which sometimes also include a wine and dine opportunity. Some of their courses may range from touching base on their products, showcasing how to prepare for anhydrite floors using their systems or looking into their Epoxy DPM’s and much more.
My view is to use these types of courses as much as you can. They’re free, you get to meet the trainers who in my experience are normally ‘funny, charming and good looking’ but more importantly, you’ll learn something new.
There are some other great outfits in the UK that offer training, including Floorskills and FITA to name a couple. From one-day subfloor preparation courses to four-day courses, they’ll go into more depth about the course you’re attending with some of the best in the industry teaching you. When I was teaching, one of the requirements to be an instructor was that I had to be a practicing flooring installer at home, so the instructors know first-hand what it’s like in the ‘real’ world.
An example of how training pays off in the industry is by looking at the LVT fitter of the year competition. One of this year’s contestants, Dean Dickinson, has been on many courses throughout his career and now he’s in the final of a great competition. You need to set yourself apart from your competitors and the best way to do this is training.
Shane Moore is a former FITA training instructor
