ST. LOUIS, April 3, 2019 - The National Wood Flooring Association will launch a federally registered Wood Flooring Specialist Apprenticeship at the Wood Flooring Expo in Fort Worth, Texas, May 1–3. This new apprenticeship designation is designed to help NWFA members attract new skilled labor into the wood flooring industry.

“The skills gap is growing, and the pool of new workers coming into the wood flooring trade is scarce,” says Brett Miller, NWFA VP of Education & Certification. “This new program will provide our members with a clear roadmap for developing a pipeline of new talent.”

The session at Expo will include a step-by-step plan for implementing the program, and will provide information on potential funding for on-the-job training through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and GI Bill funding.

“This program is a game-changer for wood flooring,” says Michael Martin, NWFA President & CEO. “It provides the first real step forward in attracting new talent to our industry, but it also helps us to compete with other trades that are vying for the same limited talent pool. It helps us to level the playing field when recruiting.”

The program was officially approved during a signing ceremony with John Ladd, Administrator Office of Apprenticeship at the U.S. Department of Labor, in Washington D.C., on March 21.

Interested members are encouraged to attend an education session at the NWFA Expo on May 2, led by James (Dudley) Light, Regional Director at the USDOL/ETA/Office of Apprenticeship, and Stephanie Owen, NWFA Education & Member Engagement Director. Light has been affiliated with the Registered Apprenticeship system for 48 years, and will share valuable tips on how to implement and maintain this program to help you grow your talent pool.

To learn more about the Wood Flooring Expo and to register, visit nwfaexpo.org.

The National Wood Flooring Association is a not-for-profit trade organization, with more than 3,200 member companies worldwide, dedicated to educating consumers, architects, designers, specifiers and builders in the uses and benefits of wood flooring. NWFA members receive the best in educational training, benefits, technical resources, and networking, to advance their professionalism and success. The NWFA is located at 111 Chesterfield Industrial Boulevard, Chesterfield, MO 63005, and can be contacted at 800.422.4556 (USA & Canada), 636.519.9663 (local and international), or online at www.nwfa.org.