The Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF), in conjunction with Schlüter Systems, recently hosted and conducted the first hands-on testing of the Advanced Certifications for Tile Installers (ACT) program for open shop tile contractors at the Schlüter headquarters in Plattsburgh, N.Y. The installers taking the ACT tests first had to be recognized as having successfully completed the CTEF Certified Tile Installer (CTI) testing of their skills and knowledge.
Successful ACT installers are then listed on the CTEF website, which is also linked to the ACT website, providing potential clients with a pool of talented and qualified tile Installers. These installers now meet the specification requirement calling for qualified labor as shown in the Tile Council of America (TCNA) Handbook and many architectural specifications. The call for the use of qualified labor on jobsites under section 9300 Ceramic Tile specifications is growing. The industry-wide ACT certification program provides the consumer both residentially and commercially with the confidence that their project will be completed correctly, the first time, according to the foundation.