null

Pilot program graduates first group of students

Twelve individuals earned certificates for flooring installation from Armstrong and carpet installation from Floormasters, Inc.

On Monday, Zapata Mejia, a San Joaquin Building Futures Academy/YouthBuild student, was one of 12 individuals who participated in a graduation ceremony and earned certificates for flooring installation from Armstrong and carpet installation from Floormasters, Inc. Mejia’s participation, like the other students, sprouted from a second chance. He was low on high school graduation credits and needed to work. His desire to overcome these obstacles earned him a position with SJBFA/YouthBuild and now a position in the Floormasters, Inc. new training program.

The graduation was part of the Floormasters, Inc. training program for job seekers throughout Northern California in partnership with San Joaquin County Office of Education, Human Services Agency, Housing Authority of San Joaquin, Habitat for Humanity of San Joaquin, California Human Development, San Joaquin County WorkNet, Visionary Homebuilders, and YouthBuild San Joaquin.

“I really enjoyed the program,” said Mejia. “Each day was different, and I grew more attached [to the trade]. This really helped me.”

The first training session consisted of three weeks of apprentice-level training for installing both hard-surface flooring and carpet. During the first and second weeks, students used mockups to prepare and install sheet vinyl for bathrooms and install carpet. During the third week, trainees helped install carpet and vinyl at the Grant Village Apartment Complex.

Mejia and the other graduates will have an opportunity to interview as installer helpers with Floormasters, Inc. with the opportunity to advance to installer.  Qualified participants will be eligible for full-time installer helper positions with the Floormasters team in Hayward, Peninsula, North Bay, Tri-County, East Bay, San Francisco, Greater Sacramento as well as Napa, Yolo, El Dorado, San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties.

Floormasters led the training program at no cost to participants or the partner organizations. Floormasters’ partners, including Armstrong, Bigelow, De Soto Diamond W, Engineered Floors, Gallaher, Leggett and Platt, Mannington, Mohawk, Osborne Lumber and Patcraft, donated all materials.

Posted: 2/4/2015