Birmingham, Ala.—The Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF) celebrated the opening of its new Birmingham Training Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 29.
More than 46 representatives from education, the flooring industry, workforce development and the local business community attended the event.
The center will provide hands-on instruction for students at Jefferson State Community College and Lawson State Community College. Students will participate in FCEF’s FI41 Flooring Technician program through Alabama’s Skills for Success initiative.
“This is about much more than opening a new training facility. It is about creating opportunity,” said David Chambers, chairman of the FCEF board of directors. “This center represents what can happen when industry leaders, educators, community partners and workforce advocates come together around a common purpose. Students will walk through these doors, learn valuable skills and discover rewarding careers, while employers gain access to a stronger pipeline of trained talent.”
Expanding flooring education opportunities
The Birmingham Training Center will serve as a resource for students, employers and flooring industry professionals.
Kaye Whitener, executive director of FCEF, welcomed attendees and thanked the organizations that supported the facility’s development.
“The Birmingham Training Center gives us the opportunity to do much more than provide our flooring technician training,” Whitener said. “We want this facility to become a resource for the entire industry. In addition to student training, this space can be used for product knowledge classes, specialty training, continuing education and other industry events that help strengthen our workforce and support professional growth. Our goal is to keep this training center active, relevant and valuable to the industry it serves.”
Whitener recognized Don Roberts of Central Alabama Flooring, Roy Lewis of Eagle Floorcovering and Roy Allen Lewis of RAL Contracting. The three contributed leadership and hands-on support to help prepare the facility.
FCEF board members attending included Chambers of Nebraska Furniture Mart, Russell Headrick of Shaw Industries, Joe Semaan of Mohawk Industries and Bryan Taylor of Real Floors.
Representatives from the Alabama Community College System and other educational and industry organizations also attended.
Recognizing industry support
FCEF plans to introduce The Power of Together Wall inside the training center.
The display will recognize annual industry supporters and highlight their contributions to flooring education and workforce development.
Plans include sponsor recognition panels and QR codes connecting students with information about participating companies and flooring careers.
“This facility belongs to the future of our industry,” Whitener added. “Every student who trains here represents the possibility of a new career, a new employee for an industry business and another skilled professional entering the flooring workforce. We are grateful to everyone who helped us reach this day and we are excited about what will happen here next.”
The center aims to strengthen connections between education and employment through practical training and industry engagement.