Dalton—The Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF) added a new corporate sponsor to its list of partners providing ongoing financial support. The Dixie Group (TDG) donated its first $50,000 and said it will continue to support FCEF with financial contributions.
“We are proud to be doing our part to help the industry recruit and train the next generation of flooring installers,” said Kennedy Frierson, vice president and COO of TDG. “We understand the challenges our industry faces with a shortage of professional installers and want to be a part of the solution.”
FCEF depends on corporate sponsors and individual donors to fund scholarships, program development and awareness campaigns. “Without the support of the entire industry, we won’t be able to make the large impact that is needed to really change the downward trend in flooring installation craftsmen,” said Jim Aaron, executive director, FCEF. “Financial commitments like the one from The Dixie Group help us focus on solutions, knowing we can take action.”
TDG joins many other suppliers and buying groups in making a commitment to support FCEF’s efforts to find effective solutions and quickly get programs in place to start regrowing the population of flooring installers, according to the company. “We have a big awareness problem and that’s not going to be fixed overnight,” Aaron said. “We have had some quick wins in the past year, but we still have an uphill battle ahead and we need all the support we can get.”
According to Frierson, one of TDG’s core values is to make its customers more successful. “Supporting FCEF is one way that we can do this,” Frierson said. “We know that our customers need qualified installers to be able to sell more flooring and have a successful future.”
FCEF is actively growing training programs in technical colleges and within other groups across the nation. FCEF said it is also working to spread awareness among young people and those looking for new career opportunities. Individuals and businesses can support FCEF through monetary donations, training supply donations and by spreading awareness.
To learn more about how to support FCEF, visit FCEF.org.