Wauwatosa, Wis.—Bostik will partner with The National Flooring Contractors Apprenticeship Program (NFCAP) to aid in the group’s nationwide training program.
“Like most construction material suppliers, the flooring industry has experienced a shortage of professional installers, especially regarding ‘new breed,’ younger workers,” said Robert Williams, national sales manager/national accounts, Bostik. “Bostik is always on the lookout to aid in apprenticeship training programs. And we see this opportunity to partner with NFCAP as being a total win-win situation.”
Launched in 2020, the group offers an apprenticeship agenda registered with the Department of Labor. Its goal is to set standards within the flooring industry by training a new generation of flooring tradesmen who ultimately become professionally certified. Connected to three national vocational schools—Job Corps, YouthBuild and Big Picture Learning—NFCAP now has access to over 200 campuses nationwide. This strong outreach offers students anywhere within the country to receive high-level training.
To date, students receive a certified 8-week pre-apprenticeship training program to identify committed prospects that want to join the flooring apprenticeship. Partnerships have been established with Certified Flooring Installers (CFI), the National Association of Floor Covering Technicians (NAFCT), the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) and the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) to assist in placing the apprentices and continue training. Via this training course, seasoned employers have the opportunity to hire tradesmen with the highest standards of training.
NFCAP is the brainchild of 32-year-old Carlos Mongalo. He grew up in Miami, helping his father at the family’s flooring installation firm before going to undergraduate in San Francisco and graduate school in Miami where he ultimately received his MBA. “Early on in life, I learned about the flooring installation business while helping my dad,” Mongalo stated. “Since graduate school, I wanted to get into nonprofit work to initiate economic development projects in low-income communities. And when I found out the flooring industry had a national labor shortage crisis it was the perfect initiative with the support of Lumber Liquidators and Bostik to present the flooring trade to the next generation through an apprenticeship program offering training by top professionals.
Mongalo added that the group tailors each company’s training curriculum in accordance with its unique standards. “Our comprehensive programs discipline apprentices to professionally represent specific companies while working for their customers,” he said. “NFCAP managers work closely with each company to ensure apprentices receive the proper training both online and in the classroom.”
According to Mongalo, curriculums focus on the technicality of flooring material, skill sets for different installation methods and customer service management. Ultimately, when apprentices complete this three- to four-year program, they receive official certification from the Department of Labor. The primary NFCAP goal is to train apprentices to develop a professional corporate attitude, giving clients the best possible experiences.