For a third consecutive year, the IUPAT hosted around 85 flooring industry professionals at the 2024 IUPAT Flooring Industry Summit, held in San Jose, CA, from October 27–29. This gathering provided union flooring contractors and District Council staff a valuable platform to address shared challenges, explore strategies for market growth, receive updates from various IUPAT departments, and hear insights from third-party presenters.
Dr. Thomas Pfundstein, iFTI Director of Curriculum, presented an overview of the Floor Coverer Apprenticeship Program and the comprehensive curriculum available on the iFTI Learning Management System (LMS). The curriculum is designed to equip apprentices with theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills for a successful career in floor covering, focusing on core competencies such as safety, floor preparation, tools, materials, and installation techniques for resilient, laminate, hardwood, carpet, and synthetic turf flooring.
The iFTI LMS offers 69 FLR courses comprising 125 unique lessons, with ongoing development for a synthetic turf installation course and other relevant topics. 27 of the 69 courses are part of the National Wood Flooring Association’s (NWFA) online training, covering essential areas like installation safety, sanding and finishing, layout planning, board replacement, and more.
iFTI’s partnerships with industry leaders further enhance training opportunities. These include:
-Jon Don – Concrete Polishing and Repair
-Kretus – Training Series for Surface Coatings
-Ardex – Surface Preparation and Installation
-Certified Flooring Installers (CFI) – Courses on Hand Sewing, Pattern Correction, Carpet Stairs & Repairs
-Certified Installation Manager (CIM) Program – Industry standards for managing commercial flooring projects
-International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) – Concrete Repair Standards
-TOGAL.AI – Cloud-based takeoff software with AI capabilities
-i4F – Patented technologies for flooring, walls, and ceilings that improve living and working environments