2021 National Wood Flooring Association EDUCATION & TRAINING PROGRAMS NWFA.ORG NWFA 2021 CONTENTS EDUCATION & 3 Hands-On Training TRAINING PROGRAMS In a competitive marketplace, it is 6 Workshops important to differentiate yourself from your competition. Education is one way to accomplish this, but when business is good, it’s hard to find the time, and when business 10 NWFA University is not good, it’s hard to justify the expense. Successful businesses know, however, that investing in yourself, and your business, can yield big results. 14 Certifications NWFA offers a variety of programs to meet the education and training needs of the entire wood flooring supply chain – contractors, distributors, retailers, importer/exporters, manufacturers, 15 Apprenticeships inspectors, and more. Take a look to see how NWFA education and training programs can help grow your industry knowledge, your hands-on skills, your professional network, 15 Education Presenters and your bottom line. HANDS-ON TRAINING Whether you are just starting your career, or are a seasoned professional, NWFA has training that will improve your skills, enhance your experience, and increase your efficiency. SCHOLARSHIPS The NWFA Education & Research Foundation offers scholarships for NWFA hands-on courses. One scholarship, up to $500, will be awarded per training event. Applications must be completed in advance, with priority given to NWFA members. Scholarships are limited to one per company, per year. Sign up by visiting nwfa.org/scholarships. COURSES BASIC INSTALLATION PRINCIPLES OF WOOD FLOORING A 3-day in-person introductory-level A 4-day in-person introductory-level course for those new to the wood course for those new to the wood flooring industry. Includes a history flooring industry. Provides a broad of wood floors, understanding overview by combining the Basic wood, introduction to wood flooring Installation and Basic Sand & Finish tools/equipment and installation of courses. Includes a history of wood unfinished/factory finished solid/ floors, understanding wood, an engineered flooring, and nail/glue/ introduction to wood flooring tools/ floating installation methods. equipment and uses, installation of unfinished/factory finished solid/ Prerequisites engineered flooring, and nail/glue/ • No experience necessary. floating installation methods. Also • Complete NWFA University Installation Safety learning path. includes fundamentals of sanding/ Materials Received finishing wood flooring, practice with application of stains/sealers/ • Receive and learn how to use NWFA Installation Guidelines. finishes, and an opportunity to participate in the entire wood CCUs flooring process from installation to finishing. • Receive 24 continuing certification units. Prerequisites Career Path • No experience necessary. • Complete NWFA University Installation and • Qualifies attendee for Intermediate Installation course. Sand & Finish Safety learning paths. Apprenticeship Materials Received • Included in NWFA Wood Flooring Specialist Apprenticeship Program • Receive and learn how to use NWFA Installation and (see page 15 for more details). Sand & Finish Guidelines. CCUs • Receive 32 continuing certification units. BASIC SAND & FINISH Career Path • Qualifies attendee for Intermediate Installation and A 3-day in-person introductory-level Intermediate Sand & Finish courses. course for those new to the wood flooring industry. Includes a history of wood floors, fundamentals of sanding/finishing wood flooring, introduction to wood flooring sanding equipment/uses, and practice with application of stains/ sealers/finishes. Prerequisites • No experience necessary. • Complete NWFA University Sand & Finish Safety learning path. Materials Received • Receive and learn how to use NWFA Sand & Finish Guidelines. CCUs • Receive 24 continuing certification units. Career Path • Qualifies attendee for Intermediate Sand & Finish course. Apprenticeship • Included in NWFA Wood Flooring Specialist Apprenticeship Program (see page 15 for more details). nwfa.org 3 HANDS-ON TRAINING INTERMEDIATE INSTALLATION INTERMEDIATE SAND & FINISH A 3-day in-person intermediate- A 3-day in-person intermediate-level level course for those with some course for those with some wood wood flooring industry experience. flooring experience. Includes in- Includes in-depth training on jobsite depth training on general equipment preparation, layout, understanding maintenance, sanding multiple the science of wood, an analysis of flooring types/species, unfinished/ solid/engineered flooring, practice factory finished, engineered/multi- and instruction for nail/glue/floating directional/parquet flooring. Also installation methods of unfinished/ includes floor flattening methods, factory finished solid/engineered minimizing the scratch patterns flooring, floor repair techniques, and and efficient use of the professional simple herringbone pattern. Also sanding equipment. On the finishing includes an opportunity to learn how to incorporate simple design side, the attendee will learn about elements into any floor. and practice with stain application, sealers, natural oils, waxes, colorants, reactive conditioners, finish application, scraping, Prerequisites recoats and final coat application, repairs, and board replacement. • 1 year of installation experience OR attendance at the Basic Installation or Principles of Wood Flooring course. Prerequisites • Complete NWFA University Installation Safety learning path. • 1 year of sand & finish experience OR attendance at the Basic Sand & Finish or Principles of Wood Flooring course. Materials Received • Complete NWFA University Sand & Finish Safety learning path. • Receive and learn how to use NWFA Installation Guidelines and NWFA Jobsite Checklist. Materials Received • Receive and learn how to use NWFA Sand & Finish Guidelines CCUs and NWFA Jobsite Checklist. • Receive 24 continuing certification units. CCUs Career Path • Receive 24 continuing certification units. • Qualifies attendee for Hands-on Installation Certification Test. • Qualifies attendee for Advanced Installation course. Career Path • Completion of this course plus Intermediate Sand & Finish course • Qualifies attendee for Hands-on Sand & Finish Certification Test. qualifies attendee for Inspector school. • Qualifies attendee for Advanced Finish course. • Completion of this course plus Intermediate Installation course Apprenticeship qualifies attendee for Inspector school. • Included in NWFA Wood Flooring Specialist Apprenticeship Program (see page 15 for more details). Apprenticeship • Included in NWFA Wood Flooring Specialist Apprenticeship Program (see page 15 for more details). ADVANCED INSTALLATION A 4-day in-person course for experienced wood floor professionals. Includes creating/designing/installing unique patterns/designs with solid/engineered unfinished/factory finished wood floors. Learning covers different specialty skills based on student/instructor input. May include introduction to designing parquetry, cutting marquetry, wood bending, and designing with circles/curves. Prerequisites • 3 years of installation experience. • Attend Intermediate Installation course. • Complete NWFA University Installation courses. Certification • This course is not necessary, but strongly recommended, for those pursuing Master Craftsman certification. Materials Received • Receive NWFA Ornamental Floors technical publication, and NWFACP Master Craftsman Field Guide. CCUs • Receive 32 continuing certification units. 4 NWFA Education & Training Programs HANDS-ON TRAINING ADVANCED FINISH INSPECTOR CERTIFICATION SCHOOL A 3-day in-person course for experienced wood floor professionals. A 5-day in-person course Includes proper preparation of a wood floor to achieve desired designed to prepare wood flooring end-result/look, experimenting with professionals to earn the NWFA a variety of finishing techniques Certified Wood Flooring using unique application methods/ Inspector credential, products/systems such and build a business as as reactive conditioners, an inspector. Includes bleaches, dyes, oils, pigments, inspector's role/legal and other colorants in responsibilities, how to conjunction with a multitude identify wood flooring of finish systems to create problems, conducting a pallet of styles/looks interviews, testing methods/tools, within the same floors. finding/using industry standards, Also includes unique/historical conducting inspections, and report woodworking finishing processes. writing. Prerequisites Prerequisites • 3 years of sand & finish experience. • Must be an NWFA member. • Attend Intermediate Sand & Finish school. • Attend these NWFA courses: • Complete NWFA University Sand & Finish courses. • NWFA Basic Installation (can be bypassed with 3 years validated experience). Certification • Basic Sand & Finish (can be bypassed • Course includes all skills necessary to earn NWFA Colors and Finishes with 3 years validated experience). Mastery credential. • Intermediate Installation. • Course includes all the skills necessary to earn the Textured Wood • Intermediate Sand & Finish. Mastery credential. • Complete NWFA University Installation, Sand & Finish, and Materials Received Manufacturing courses. • Receive NWFA Ornamental Floors technical publication, • Complete and pass the Inspector Test. and NWFA Master Craftsman Field Guide. Certification CCUs • Two in-class inspection scenario reports must be submitted within • Receive 24 continuing certification units. two weeks of attending the course. Three additional reports