The Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) will be conducting Certified Tile Installer (CTI) hands-on testing on Wednesday, January 18th and Thursday, January 19th, 2017 during The International Surface Event (TISE) in Las Vegas, NV. Those who pass the hands-on and the written tests earn the CTI designation.

What is the CTI Program?

The CTI designation identifies the professional installer who has reached a level of proficiency to independently and consistently produce a sound tile installation that displays good workmanship. Certification is the validation of the skills and knowledge of the men and women who presently are installing tile successfully in the U.S.

To qualify for the CTI Program, installers must have at least two years of experience as the lead installer setting ceramic tile on a full-time basis. This means having full responsibility for substrate prep, layout, coordinating with other trades along with properly installing underlayment, tile, grout and sealant materials.

“The CTI program is strictly a test of the installer’s skills and knowledge; it offers no instructional classes,” said Scott Carothers, director of training and education for CTEF. “However, many installers who have completed the CTI tests say that studying the written materials was very valuable and assisted in the completion of the hands-on test and that the CTI manual provided the correct methods for tile installation which may not have been the way they installed tile in the past.”

What does CTI testing consist of?

The CTI program includes two separate tests.

The first is an online open-book exam which is taken at home or the office as the installer’s schedule allows.

The second is a hands-on test which is conducted at regional locations across the U.S.

The hands-on portion of the test begins at 7:09 a.m. and must be completed by 4:00 p.m. Installers should arrive at 6:30 a.m. in order to get their tools set up and be ready to start the test at 7:09 a.m.

For more information, visit www.ceramictilefoundation.org.