Vero Beach, Fla.—CTEF, the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation, has scheduled its first Certified Tile Installer (CTI) hands-on testing event for 2021 at The Carpet & Tile Warehouse here on Saturday Feb. 20, 2021.
CTEF provides education and installer certification for professionals working in the ceramic tile and stone industry. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, CTEF has had to cancel all 2020 certification and training events effective March 2020.
“Scheduling this first CTI hands-on testing event is a testament to the importance of CTEF’s mission and the support of the entire tile industry,” said Scott Carothers, director of certification and training for CTEF. “The pandemic has reinforced the importance for the tile industry to have a pool of talented and certified installers available to handle the amount of new work on the horizon.”
CTEF has created a four-page Certified Tile Installer COVID-19 policy, which will be in effect during installer orientation, set up and hands-on testing and will coincide with the location’s state and local guidelines. Per CDC guidelines, the following procedures will be in place:
- Face masks will always be worn by the evaluator, installers and hosts
- Social distancing will be in place during orientation, set up and during the operation of the test
- No-touch temperature readings will be administered at the beginning of each day
- PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) must always be in place
- Tools and equipment may not be shared
“We are very grateful to Deby and Robert Winter of The Carpet & Tile Warehouse for supporting the CTI program especially during these unprecedented times,” Carothers added.