Hot Tip -- by Teresa Nelson

The flooring industry is all about offering pleasure - to our feet that is!

Every day of our lives we walk on plush carpets, shiny linoleum, sophisticated tiles or beautiful hardwood floors. But how often do we think about how all of those colours of carpets, designs on kitchen floors or trendy hardwood actually gets to the point where we can enjoy every minute of it?

Thousands of young men and women every day are working hard to bring people the comfort and style of flooring that best suits their lifestyle. The flooring industry is one that offers several job opportunities, from being a carpet layer/floor covering installer, tilesetter, or even owning your own company. The skills that a person would learn in this industry can be carried with them throughout their lives.

So, how would one get into this industry?

Getting started in the flooring industry involves hands-on training while being an apprentice in order to become a licensed journeyman. The RAP (Registered Apprenticeship Program) is a great way to get started in this industry for someone who wants to begin his or her career while finishing high school. The RAP program allows you to go to school, earn up to five credits and get paid to work while gaining hours towards completing your apprenticeship. More information on getting into the RAP program is available at the Career Construction Web site.

Below is information about the carpet laying/floor covering and tilesetter trades according to ALIS (Alberta Learning Information Service):

Carpet Layer (also known as a floor covering installer):

Education:

• In order to become a carpet layer, you will need to apprentice for three years. The on-the-job apprenticeship involves working 1,390 hours in your first year, 1,420 in your second and 1,600 in your third year. Within those three years, you will attend a six-week in-class session each year.

Duties include:

• Installing, repairing and replacing worn out materials with new ones such as underlay, carpet, vinyl and linoleum in commercial or residential settings.

Characteristics include:

• Being physically fit, being comfortable working on your knees daily, lifting heavy objects, and working as a part of team or independently.

Salary:

• Salary of a carpet layer is anywhere from $14 to $28 per hour plus benefits.

For more information on becoming a carpet layer check out this Web site, and be sure to visit the virtual tour of what a floor installer does from day to day!

Tilesetter

Education:

• To become a tilesetter, you will need to apprentice for three years. This involves working 2,100 hours per year and taking in-class training for four weeks each year.

Duties include:

• Tilesetters use special materials such as ceramic, mosaic, marble and quarry tile, slate, stone, terrazzo or granite. Tilesetters also pack the grout, prepare the surface, mix materials and strategically arrange materials while measuring and cutting.

Characteristics include:

• Being physically fit, being comfortable working on your knees daily, lifting heavy materials and working with little supervision.

Salary:

• Salary for a tilesetter starts from $17 to $22 per hour plus benefits.

For more information on becoming a tile setter and watching a virtual movie on the daily duties, check out this Web site.

As for the future in this industry, there are lots of great opportunities! Often carpet layers and tilesetters can move into a supervisory role as a foreman or superintendent. They may also work as estimators. Another option is to work as an independent contractor or to own a flooring installation company.

So if you enjoy working hard, starting projects and completing them, keeping physically fit, being accurate and organized, and most importantly being proud of your work and helping to bring comfort to others, the flooring industry is for you.

(Teresa Nelson is a job developer at the Calgary Youth Employment Centre.)