Four Years of Success and Counting: FITA and WEBS Growing the Gold Standard of Floorlaying Apprenticeships

Founded in April 2021, the Flooring Industry Training Association (FITA) and WEBS Training Ltd joined forces to offer a flooring apprenticeship scheme aiming to set the ‘gold standard’. The joint venture came together to meet a vital demand for flooring training in the East Midlands, driven by the Contract Flooring Association (CFA). What started as a small cohort has grown into a large programme, now with around 60 flooring apprentices able to participate at any given time. It has become one of WEBS Training’s largest sectors as a training provider across interior construction sectors, and has been continually increasing.

Over the course of the programme, apprentices learn knowledge, skills and behaviours at FITA’s Loughborough Training Centre across up to 50 days of learning, while gaining practical experience working under the mentorship of a flooring company. The apprenticeships are 95–100% funded. What stands out most in the delivery of this programme is the incredible amount of care that goes into the apprentice’s journey, starting at the very beginning. A lot of work goes into finding the right person for the right role, offering guidance and support on recruitment – leveraging FITA’s industry contacts and WEBS’ experience in training delivery. This dedicated approach not only offers a quicker return of investment but encourages stronger retention rates, with apprentices demonstrating strong work ethics.

In its latest development, as of September 2025 a new batch of apprentices are pursuing the gold standard of floorlaying provided by FITA and WEBS at F. Ball and Co. Ltd’s Centre of Excellence training site in Staffordshire in a programme called Floorsight™, in addition to those at FITA’s training centre. F. Ball and Co. Ltd has been a strong supporter of the apprenticeship standard and this new collaboration is a key step to expanding its availability, offering high-quality flooring education in purpose-built facilities in the West Midlands.  

The importance of flooring apprenticeships cannot be understated. It is increasingly critical that comprehensive training is delivered on scale to meet the urgent demand for future floorlayers, overcoming the problem of an aging workforce. The CFA’s Future Fitters guide is designed to address the shortage of skilled floorlayers in the UK by offering information on training and support to help individuals become skilled, competent and qualified installers. The CFA has also successfully lobbied for significant improvements to apprenticeship funding, raising support from £13,000 to at least £17,000 per apprentice, which is a strong incentive for employers and training providers alike. The continuing expansion of apprenticeship delivery therefore comes at a favourable time.

Another shift in the industry is a growing promotion of the role of women in flooring, reflected by the inclusion of women’s case studies as part of the recent update to the Future Fitters guide. WEBS has seen an increase in its own numbers of women taking up the trades and, side by side with FITA, encourages this culture shift. It is important to the organisers that the apprenticeship scheme is open to all backgrounds, and that women can be inspired to consider the benefits of a floorlaying career.

Speaking to those involved across the floorlaying apprenticeship scheme demonstrates how incredibly rewarding it is for all parties for apprentices to achieve highly and go on to successful careers. The next steps which FITA and WEBS are readily taking only suggests better and better outcomes.

Danny Mee, course apprentice working with Hillside Contracts Ltd and CFA Flooring Apprentice of the Year 2025 winner, credits “the hands-on aspect” of a flooring apprenticeship “as well as the gratification that comes from transforming areas with high quality workmanship.” For Danny, a key benefit is variety, which “made work feel very new from day to day with new techniques and ways to fit different materials. I really appreciated the chance to learn new skills and techniques while working with experienced professionals who teach me.” Reflecting on his route into the flooring trade, Danny says: “It’s a profession I find fun, rewarding, and something I’m genuinely passionate about with regrets of not going down this path four years sooner.”

Sam Shetliffe, course apprentice working with Capital Flooring and Blinds and CFA Flooring Apprentice of the Year 2025 runner-up, enjoys the challenge that “every day is different with new skills to be mastered”. Working out how to overcome obstacles gives him “an immense sense of pride”. Trying to advance his knowledge and skillset wherever he can, there is always room for improvement – “I never feel like I have learned it all”. The benefit of Sam’s apprenticeship is that it has allowed him, as he says, “to take control of my own career and excel to my full potential”.

Darren Kenyon, Managing Director at F. Ball and Co. Ltd, comments: “We must create clear pathways into flooring careers and better communicate the benefits of the trade. Manufacturers need to work closely with the rest of the industry to achieve this, as it is vital to our collective success. That’s why we’re incredibly excited to be working with FITA and WEBS Training to deliver the Floorsight™ apprenticeship programme, with the support of the CFA. This includes providing hands-on training at the F. Ball Centre of Excellence and supplying essential resources, such as tools and workwear. The enthusiasm and professionalism displayed by the apprentice fitters since the launch has been excellent and is very much cause for optimism for the future of the industry.”

Lorraine Jameson, Head of Business & Quality Assurance at WEBS, says: “We really take the time to nurture the floorlaying apprentices as individuals, preparing them with not just the right skills but the right attitudes for the workforce. A majority of floorlaying apprentices have achieved distinctions in their end-point assessments, which shows how well our cohorts take to the programme and how much they get out of it.”

Shaun Wadsworth, Training Manager at CFA and FITA, says: “It is great to see the industry rallying behind training, whether that’s by taking on new apprentices or lending support for our apprenticeship delivery. It has a clear positive impact for the apprentices and the latest expansion of the programme at F. Ball and Co. Ltd’s site is an exciting new step. We will continue to work to ensure there is funding and opportunity for those ready to take the initiative to develop in the flooring trade.”

For more information, or to get involved, visit: www.fita.co.uk/Flooring-Apprenticeships/