With the average age of flooring installers at 57 years old, the outlook for getting installers is looking bleak. Flooring is competing with a lot of other trades: the construction industry will need to attract an estimated 546,000 additional workers on top of the normal pace of hiring in 2023 to meet the demand for labor, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors.

Despite sharp increases in interest rates over the past year, the need for qualified installers will not disappear in the near future. 

“First, while single-family home building activity has moderated, many contractors continue to experience substantial demand from a growing number of mega-projects associated with chip manufacturing plants, clean energy facilities and infrastructure,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Second, too few younger workers are entering the skilled trades, meaning this is not only a construction labor shortage but also a skills shortage.

With nearly one in four construction workers older than 55, retirements will continue to whittle away at the construction workforce. The really frustrating part: many of these older construction workers are also the most productive. They refined their skills over time and are needed to train the younger recruits. 

U.S. Census Bureau’s Construction Put in Place survey, as well as payroll construction employment, sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, to convert anticipated increases in construction outlays into demand for construction labor at a rate of approximately

The U.S. Census Bureau projects that for every $1 billion in additional construction spending, 3,620 new jobs will be needed. The flooring industry is already feeling the constraints in installation. The number of available installers will continue to get worse in the coming years. 
 

The Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF) was established to help the industry combat this growing constraint. Hear from FCEF board members who are passionately encouraging the industry to become part of the initiative to recruit and train qualified flooring installers.

Steve Abernathy

Chief Operating Officer
World Floor Covering Association

CFI is a founding training partner and proud supporter of the Floor Covering Education Foundation.  

CFI has partnered with FCEF to help develop the technical college basic flooring education program through assistance with curriculum development, instruction, testing and credentialing. 

CFI has tailored our course offerings to align with FCEF goals and needs. CFI continues to promote FCEF and the scholarship opportunities that are available through the foundation to prospective students.  

FCEF is by far the most important and impactful industry-wide initiative dedicated to solving the challenges of flooring installation. The flooring industry is perched on the precipice of a rapidly declining workforce of professional installers. The best chance of avoiding this cliff is through the industry's full support of FCEF. 

Bill Blackstock

President & CEO
Resilient Floor Covering Institute

FCEF is the solution to the industries’ greatest challenge. Not only will FCEF succeed, but it must for the sake of our Industry. FCEF is an Industry-wide solution to an Industry debilitating challenge.

Deb DeGraaf

Co-Owner
DeGraaf Interiors

As the chair of the FCEF, I am a strong believer in the potential for this foundation changing our industry starting at the most fundamental aspect of the customer experience, the professional installer.

In the middle of June DeGraaf Interiors is hosting a local five-week CFI certification flooring installation class. We have nearly a full class of recruits who are either not happy in their current job or high school seniors looking for an alternative to college. With the graduation of these young men and women we will have new installers available to help us meet the high demand for installation. Each of these recruits applied for a scholarship which was only possible because of the fund raising and existence of the FCEF. 

The key is being able to offer local training and I am committed to helping other retailers around the country duplicate the program we are offering. 

Piet Dossche

CEO
Dossche Holdings

Our industry needs to applaud the efforts of the FCEF and its management, volunteers and board members who are all contributing their time and energy in trying to tackle this critical shortage of qualified installers we’re all faced with. The solution is not an immediate fix but a long, dedicated, and relentless perseverance to ask for funding, convince and hire young people and train them with the help of local technical colleges and apprenticeships programs into the flooring installation technicians we desperately need to drive and grow our industry. 

Think about that when you’re going about your daily routine, how the FCEF is working hard, behind the scenes and for the most part unpaid, to help you find the installation talent you need to complete this flooring sale, create a happy customer, and make you more money along the way.

If asked to help, support the FCEF any way you can as they fulfill an essential role in keeping your business growing and profitable! Don’t just expect it to happen and benefit of their hard work…. get involved, support and be proud and happy we belong to an industry where people start initiatives like FCEF to bring solutions to the benefit of all!

Russell Headrick

Director of Financial Services
Shaw Industries

Shaw believes flooring and the flooring industry at large have the power to change lives and create a better future. The flooring installer is vital to a healthy, sustainable future for our industry. They bring our products to life and in doing so, lay the foundation of the home, school, and the many other spaces people live, play, and learn. 

As we grapple with a shortage of installers, we are dedicated to working across the industry to find solutions because we know that creating a stable and thriving flooring installer workforce is imperative for driving further growth for Shaw and our customers. 

The Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF) is committed to strategically addressing and conquering the installer shortage by considering the future of this industry and implementing lasting solutions. Shaw is proud to be an original supporter of FCEF and all the work they do to educate and advocate for flooring installation as a valuable and enriching trade. Additionally, Shaw continues to offer resources and our own experts to help FCEF with their mission. With the support of the entire industry, FCEF will empower the next generation of flooring professionals. 

Jeff Honkonen

Assistant to the CEO
Engineered Floors

We recognize the ongoing professional installation shortage and were happy to invest in FCEF to address career awareness and training needs.  The team is off to a good start getting the installation program accredited in the technical college system. This approach is particularly encouraging because the two Georgia programs can be scaled to technical colleges across the country. This industry wide issue will require active support from the entire industry to solve it.

Scott Humphrey

CEO
World Floor Covering Association

Despite some economic headwinds, overall unemployment in the United States remains very low. Deep study of the factors that are in motion on the population front indicate that the availability of people for jobs is going to get much worse over the next five to 10 years. These dynamics will impact some other major economies in the world as well. The situation on the flooring installation front is even more concerning with the current average age of installers at over 56 years old.

When I attended a major conference of high school counselors in Texas last year, I saw hundreds of trade/industry booths delivering messages as to why their avenue was the best choice for high school graduates. This competition will grow significantly in the future. The Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF) is the tip of the spear in changing the calculus on this huge coming constraint.  Support of FCEF by our industry is mission critical to countering the coming storm. The organization needs your help today! Please, visit fcef.org and be a part of the solution.

Curt Hutchins

President Residential Carpet
Mohawk Industries

Mohawk recognizes the real challenges that face our industry with respect to qualified installers.  As an organization we continue to provide financial support and active engagement in the broad set of FCEF activities. 

Hoy Lanning

CEO
JJ Haines

Flooring installation is a top value we can offer to the consumer. It sets many companies apart. Floor Covering Educational Foundation is now providing training & a career path for installers to help secure all our futures. Belknap Haines has been a supportive contributor through money and materials to help support the training. We must all support this drive for a successful future. 

Ed Metcalf

Co-Founder
Metcalf Advisory Services, LLC

FCEF continues scaling up its support of scholarship-eligible floor covering installation training programs offered by CFI, CTEF and NFWA. Particularly exciting is the increasing adoption by educational institutions of the FCEF 10-week Basic Floor Covering Installation program. We are working to identify dealers and floor covering contractors in markets producing graduates from this program. Contact FCEF to find the programs in your local market info@fcef.org, and please contribute today to support FCEF’s mission to upgrade the skills of existing installers and to recruit new talent at fcef.org. 

Jon Namba

Owner
Namba Services Inc.

Knowledge is power, yes, we keep saying it but FCEF and industry partners are providing the opportunity for the next generation to have the proper training to become a force for the flooring industry and to give students the ability to become the best, so let’s all do our part by contributing to a most worthy cause. Large or small each monetary contribution can make a difference for the future of our industry.

Dr. Ray Perren

Deputy Commissioner for Technical Education
Technical College System of Georgia

As a lifelong educator, I know the enormous power of partnerships between schools and the business community. I am proud to serve on the FCEF Board in support of its mission to form a bridge between the floor covering industry and educational institutions that provide training for the next generation of floor covering installers. 

Randall Sheehe

Director of Sales
Emser Tile

The flooring industry is filled with incredible people and career opportunities. However, we are facing many challenges now and in the future due to the shortage of qualified installers. Here at Emser Tile we believe in the mission of FCEF and are proud to support their efforts. It’s time for all of us to give back to the industry that has given us so much by investing in the next generation of floor covering installers by helping them to find career pathways in this industry.

Jennie Taylor

Owner
Taylor’s Carpet One

Taylor Carpet One Floor and Home is excited to support the FCEF with monthly donations!! We are also reaching out to our Technical Schools to connect with them to place an installation school in our area.  As an independent retailer, we must work with the industry to train our new generation of installers to help us grow our business.  We must also work to continue to offer training to our installers. 

The FCEF has made great strides in the development of programs for this initiative.