Polyflor Ltd. has expanded its partnership with F. Ball and Co. Ltd. to provide additional training courses for flooring installation apprentices throughout 2025.
The apprentice training initiative from Polyflor Ltd. commenced in Spring 2023 with the first of its four-day, standalone courses, which continued at regular intervals until late 2024.
The courses serviced first-year (Level 1) apprentices hired by the company’s numerous flooring contractor customers. Their training focused on all aspects of vinyl sheet installation, including setting out, adhering to the sheet, and heat-welding seam joints.
F. Ball and Co. Ltd., known for its flooring adhesives and subfloor preparation products, supported this skills-focused initiative.
The course location alternated between Polyflor Training Academy (PTA) in Whitefield, Greater Manchester, and the F. Ball Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Cheddleton, Staffordshire.
Following its initial success, the training schedule for 2025 will further its support to budding apprentices.
This year’s Level 1 programme began at CoE in February. Three further courses will follow:
- 9 - 12 June, PTA
- 29 September – 2 October, CoE
- 8 – 11 December, PTA
In addition, the schedule will now accommodate second-year (Level 2) apprentices, offering enhanced learning for those who have previously completed their Level 1 course. This further training will focus on finishing details such as coving and capping.
Currently, two Level 2 courses will take place on the following dates:
- 28 April – 1 May, PTA
- 10 – 13 November, CoE
All courses remain fully subsidised by Polyflor Ltd. and F. Ball and Co. Ltd., running Monday – Thursday, with spaces strictly limited. Chris Landon, training and installations manager at Polyflor Ltd. will continue to lead all training alongside Tim Green, head of training at F. Ball and Co. Ltd.
As with its initial conception, the training initiative seeks to help flooring contractors connect with additional construction sector apprentices. Furthermore, the courses aim to address growing labour shortage concerns within the UK construction industry by engaging with future flooring installation professionals from a young age.
It is also hoped that the courses will assist in replenishing the ongoing deficit of contract flooring installers, which was, according to a report by the Contract Flooring Association (CFA), exacerbated by Brexit, changes to industry standards, and other macroeconomic factors.
John Buchanan, International Technical Manager at Polyflor, said: “Apprentices will become the lifeblood of our UK contract flooring industry. As market leaders in the UK flooring industry, Polyflor Ltd. and F. Ball and Co. Ltd. wanted to do something positive to help ease the current crisis by supporting those contract flooring customers willing to hire apprentices.”
Feedback from the apprentices in attendance at recent courses has remained positive. Lucien Thomas, apprentice for Darren Thomas Flooring, said: “Working as an apprentice will now be easier thanks to the practice and information gained from this course.”
