NEWFURN TRAINING ACADEMY
The Newfurn Training Academy (NTA) exists to provide members, their employees and contract flooring installers with individualised inhouse training programs, that supports the Newfurn group of businesses to prosper and thrive in an ever changing and competitive retail environment. This includes the design and delivery of a variety of non-accredited accessible short courses in sales, business operations, customer service, including floor preparation and installation.
In 2021, NTA launched its own portal with over 200 educational videos for internal training to its members, staff, and business associates. NTA overall is in a unique position of having direct support from the major Australian and International flooring manufacturers and distributors – our Alliance Partners. With the assistance of our Alliance Partners, the Academy has access to the best specialist trainers in the flooring industry. This also includes the latest information on product developments, installation techniques and industry trends to ensure that all our professional development is always of the highest standard.
NTA is also supporting the groups newly established Registered Training Organisation Chillingworth Training Institute (CTI) in the development of their own apprenticeship resources using the up graded Didido V3. This collaboration includes a national apprenticeship in Certificate III in Flooring Technology delivered in the workplace, Certificate Ⅲ in Interior Decoration for Retail Service and project management qualifications. NTA is also supporting CTI who will be taking RTO responsibility for training and assessment activities associated with the apprenticeship residential workshops.
A fundamental aspect of these residential workshops is having the apprentices learn whilst providing support to the local community.
An example of this was a flooring installation and refurbishment at the Community Hall in Coolaroo (VIC). Apprentices were able to put their training into practice by replacing the old sheet vinyl, concrete and tiles with practical and hard-wearing flooring solutions such as broadloom patterned carpet, safety vinyl, vinyl planks and rubber tiles at no cost to the hall. The plan is to roll over a number of these residential workshops nationally as a key feature of the CTI apprenticeship program
At the conclusion of their apprenticeship, new graduates will continue to be supported by NTA as part of the group’s strategy for lifelong learning . Alternatively graduates may wish to continue with nationally accredited training offered by CTI.