FLOORING FOCUS

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After an evaluation visit to the Knowsley site, the Academy’s new facilities and Master Installer course content has also been accredited by the NICF (National Institute of Carpet & Floorlayers). This means that those successfully completing the Master Installer Wood & Laminate programme at the Academy, can also qualify for NICF Master Installer status. Currently, Master Installer Wood & Laminate is only Academy for Excellence course accredited by the NICF.

The Academy for Excellence in Flooring is now taking bookings on course dates throughout 2023.

“It is vitally important that the flooring industry accelerates skills development to meet demand and ensure that the general competence of floor layers remains high – and that’s why we run the Bostik Academy,’ says Paul Sycamore, Training Manager at Bostik.

“A salesperson who knows more, sells more!,” says AW, “ and apart from the practical help, we also share our latest vision on customer experience and the importance of lifestyle, colours and brands.

Cleaning Up On Colour

The WoolSafe Academy is the training arm of The WoolSafe Organisation, the cleaning industry service provider, devoted to promoting best practice in carpet and rug care.

The Academy provides professional training courses (both classroom and online), technical literature, manuals, professional standards and expert advice to all those involved in the manufacture, sales, ownership and maintenance of carpets and rugs.

A new focus is on the variety of issues related to colour loss or colour change in carpets and rugs. which can be caused by a wide range of factors including chlorine bleaching, sun fade, pet urine contamination, benzoyl peroxide bleaching and staining from spills.

“Based at our headquarters in Stafford, the Bostik Academy is a knowledge centre that has been carefully created for professionals in the construction market. It’s a calm, pleasant environment where we provide both theoretical and practical training on the Bostik range in a hands-on way,” says Paul. “The aim is that attendees will go away with a good understanding of and confidence in using our products, and know that they can call us anytime for advice or a refresher if needed.

The Bostik Academy offers all kinds of training, and is adapted it to whatever the attendees want, whether it’s at Bostik headquarters, out in the field, or online. If someone wishes to enhance their knowledge of smoothing compounds, for example, they can focus on smoothing compounds. Every session they do is unique, whether it’s for two people or 24.

Smarter Selling Skills

On the retail shop floor, Associated Weavers are on a mission to turn sales staff into “carpet and flooring champions” and the company invested in a new AW Academy which opened in Q4 2022 at the company’s HQ in Halifax.

The company hosts multiple sessions each month with a full-day training on carpet and another focussing on LVT. The course can be taken separately or they can be combined into a two-day course. The sessions are designed to be exciting and engaging with a mix of presentations, films, hands-on training and a visit to the impressive Invictus Experience Centre that sits alongside the Academy at the Halifax Dean Clough Mill site.

“We have great news,” says Steve Bakker, WoolSafe Global Marketing Director. “WoolSafe is launching a network of Approved Colour Restorers in 2023 to train up our experienced WoolSafe Approved Service Providers in the art of colour restoration.”

“We have teamed up with Gabriel Andreca of Brio Dyes and look forward to helping commercial and residential clients avoid costly replacement and extend the life of their carpets and rugs by correcting the damage that has occurred. Colour repairs carried out by WoolSafe Approved Colour Restorers is usually invisible and permanent,” says Steve.

For More Information

AW ACADEMY • 01422 431100 • www.associated-weavers.co.uk

BOSTIK • +44 (0)1785 272625 • www.bostik-profloor.co.uk/training

F. BALL • 01538 361633 • www.f-ball.com/training

FITA • 0115 950 6836 • www.fita.co.uk

QUICK-STEP ACADEMY • T 028 302 58094 • www.quick-step-academy.co.uk

WOOLSAFE • 01943 850817 • www.woolsafe.org