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Industry Profile -- by Leanne Taylor
Flooring is boring?I admit that's my sentiments when first presented with
this month's industry profile. How could flooring possibly stir any sort of
creative reaction in anyone? Beginning what I thought would be a daunting
task, researching this topic, to my surprise, revealed the attraction of
this work. Every day we're walking all over someone's art; whether it be
hardwood flooring, tiles, carpet or brick, without giving it as much as a
second thought. But if we were to stop and think for just a moment, we
would realize that our feet would be cold and dirty if it weren't for these
'flooring artists' who make our world a better, more aesthetically
pleasing place.
Not convinced? Close your eyes and just try to picture life without
flooring. What do you come up with? Fred Flintstone's house springs to
mind. Think about the decorative tiling in your kitchen, the beautiful
hardwood floors throughout your buddy's house, or the detailed stitching of
a fine Persian rug. What do all these have in common? They were all made by
crafty, skilled and dedicated individuals who enjoy working with their
hands on a variety of projects; creating products that require precise
skills; working mainly indoors with little or no supervision; and taking
pride in seeing the results of their work.
Skills essential in this industry are: manual dexterity; the ability to
work at heights and in hot and cold environments; an eye for colour, line
and proportion; creativity; and the ability to be polite and tactful with
customers. Strength, stamina, and agility are a must, as many hours are
spent bending, kneeling, balancing, lifting and crouching in small or
cramped spaces.
People in this industry can expect to work for floor covering outlets;
retail service and repair shops; construction companies; and contractors in
roofing, insulation, glass installation, painting, floor covering and
building maintenance. They may also be self-employed (37 per cent are
self-employed, well above the average of 17 per cent for all occupations).
Secondary education is preferred, but not always required.Those who wish
to enter into this industry generally acquire their skills through
apprenticeship training (minimum of Grade 9 education required) or by
learning on-the-job.
The predicted future growth rate for this industry within the next five
years is rated fair to high. Most of the increase in employment
requirements through 2004 for these occupations is expected to occur in the
construction industry. Here's a closer look at some of the careers
available:
Floor covering installers install carpet, wood, linoleum, vinyl and other resilient floor coverings, and hardwood floors in commercial, residential and industrial buildings. They typically work five-day, 40-hour work weeks
with some overtime required to meet construction deadlines. Night work is
sometimes necessary when working in a premise already occupied. Excellent
physical condition is a must, along with a strong back, as this work
requires extensive bending, twisting, kneeling and lifting in excess of 25
kilograms.Also, good colour vision is an asset, to be able to match
colours.
- Pay will range from $14 to $28 per hour plus benefits, or $27,200 to
$80,000 per year for a top, experienced worker
- Above average growth expected to the year 2005
Tilesetters cover, repair and decorate exterior and interior walls, floors
and other surfaces using ceramic, mosaic, marble, granite, slate, stone and
other materials. They prepare, measure and mark, cut and trim tiles to fit
around different obstacles and openings, and mix, apply and spread
adhesives over the surface. Some may also prepare cost estimates and
orders. A typical five-day, 40 hour-work week is to be expected, with a
chance of overtime to meet construction deadlines. Work can be both indoors
and outdoors, and is physically grueling. Injury from sharp edges, power
tools and heavy lifting is common. Manual dexterity as well as the ability
to visualize a completed project while creating it from a plan or work
order are needed traits in this profession.
- Pay will range from $17 to $22 per hour plus benefits
- High growth rate expected to the year 2005
Hardwood floor installers cut, measure, nail and trim hardwood floor coverings in residential, commercial and industrial settings. Work is indoors and completed in conjunction with other tradespeople working on the project. Heavy lifting, bending and kneeling are everyday occurances. Hours and work weeks depend on the person and the company. Hardwood floor installers are typically trained on-the-job, but a high school diploma and some experience working with wood and wood working tools is preferred. These workers are typically paid by the piece, and not by the hour, with their rate of pay increasing as they become more experienced.
Bricklayers prepare and lay brick, concrete blocks, granite stones,
structural tile and other masonry units to construct and repair structures
such as walls, partitions, patios, arches, fireplaces and chimneys.
Five-day, 40-hour work weeks are typical, with overtime sometimes required
to meet construction deadlines. Work is physically demanding and requires
routine lifting of between 11-25 kilograms. People who enjoy working with
their hands on various projects and using a little creativity find this job
most rewarding. Other valuable skills include manual dexterity, a good eye
for colour, line and proportion and the ability to get along with
co-workers.
- Pay will range from $18 to $21 per hour plus benefits or $25,000 to
$46,000 per year
- High growth rate expected to the year 2005
Insulators apply insulation materials to plumbing, heating, cooling and
refrigeration systems, piping equipment, pressure vessels and interior
surfaces of buildings to prevent or reduce the passage of heat, cold, sound
and fire. Work can be both indoors and outdoors, with a typical five-day,
40-hour work week and some overtime required to meet construction
deadlines. Shift work is sometimes required if you are employed in the
maintenance of industrial plants. This line of work can often be
uncomfortable and potentially hazardous as insulators often deal with itchy
and toxic materials, and work in very hot/cold settings, on ladders and in
cramped spaces. Good physical condition is also necessary, as heavy
lifting up to 25 kilograms may be necessary. Precision, as well as having
no fear of heights or cramped spaces is vital to the success of this
job.
- Pay will range from $17 to $24 per hour plus benefits or $20,800 to
$43,700 per year
- High growth rate expected to the year 2005
Concrete finishers place and finish concrete floors, driveways, sidewalks,
curbs, bridge decks and other concrete structures. Work is both indoors
and outdoors, with summer hours usually extending past the typical 40-hour
work week, and slowing down in winter. Overtime is sometimes necessary to
finish a rush-project. Risk of injury is commonplace from working on uneven
footing and from other construction site hazards.Excellent physical
condition is a pre-requisite, as considerable amounts of bending, kneeling
and lifting in excess of 25 kilograms is often required.
- Pay will range from $16 to $23 per hour plus benefits or $22,500 to
$35,000 per year
- High growth rate expected to the year 2005
Plasterers select, prepare, mix and apply stucco and plaster to interior
and exterior surfaces such as walls and ceilings to produce a more
decorative finish. A typical work week consists of five-days, 40-hours
with some overtime required to meet construction deadlines. Work is
primarily outdoors; therefore working hours may increase throughout the
summer months and decrease during winter.The ability to work in cramped
spaces and in less than ideal conditions (i.e. damp and dusty) will be
required, as will the ability to do some medium to heavy lifting on a
regular basis. On-the-job training is usually provided, and after 36 months
one can apply to qualify for an occupational certificate.
- Pay will range from $20,000 to $58,200 per year
- Below average occupational growth expected to the year 2005
Each industry profiled in nextSteps also includes several jobs that are
related, or universal across industries. Some of those jobs included in, or
related to, the flooring industry are: sheet metal workers, project
managers, glaziers, general laborers, administration, repair personnel,
building maintenance, roofers, shinglers, and painters and decorators.
Previous issues with more on some of these occupational profiles include:
Other jobs directly related to flooring, but are less commonly known,
include a carpet binder, carpet dyer and sub-floor installer. Carpet
binders use their knowledge of the variety of carpets to bind the edge of a
carpet to keep it from fraying, or install a fringe along the ends. Carpet
dyers use specialized chemicals and colour-matching techniques to try and
refurbish a carpet's original colour, or eliminate stains. Sub-floor
installers can be considered entry-level construction workers who
glue and screw plywood floors -- which have yet to be covered (sub-floors) -- on new construction projects.
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