Advanced Flooring Technology (AFT) is quickly gaining momentum as an installation training and certifying body for the floorcovering industry, working with organizations like the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) and CCA Global. It was recently approved for scholarship funding through the Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF). The company was founded in 1988 by Robert Varden, and according to Varden, AFT was built on four pillars: installation, education, training and research.
AFT offers six different training and certification options that can be found on its recently launched website. The LVP Class is a one-day, hands-on session where participants will install both glue-direct and floating LVP. In the One-Day Custom Seam Class, students will learn how to identify the construction of all soft surface materials and how to create a better seam. The Two-Day Pattern Correction Class teaches how to properly identify and how to correct pattern bow, skew and elongation. The Six-Week Classroom/On-the-Job Class for Carpet & LVP (luxury vinyl plank) is a three-phase course designed to take a beginner helper to a proficient assistant installer. The Residential Resilient Class and Commercial Resilient Class focus on all aspects of resilient installation.