You’ve seen the work of concrete artisans and wondered, “How did they do that?!?” You’re about to find out.

First, it starts with a fundamental understanding of how concrete works. GFRC and ECC seem fancy, but at the core they’re concrete, and the most successful artisans truly understand not just how, but why concrete behaves the way it does.

Second, once you have a fundamental understanding, you are free from worrying whether your concrete is going to perform, at that point you can focus on your creativity. This is where the master knowledge of how to manipulate the mix comes in. Brett has had his hands in these mixes since 2013, and you can see from his portfolio that he has mastered them.

He will teach you the following techniques:

• Press a clay-like mix to create fissures, voids and veining
• Hand trowel to create a soft, leathery look and buttery smooth concrete
• Use diamonds to proceed from cream to salt and pepper
• Spray concrete to create movement and character with variations in tone and texture

You will cast a variety of projects in flat and 3-D formats, and you will take home your own creation. We do not sell our class projects, they become part of your portfolio.

This course is carefully designed to progress from basics to advanced principles, both hands-on and in the classroom, so that by the end of the week you have an excellent understanding and the confidence to take your learning (and the reference materials and both Brett’s and Jeff’s personal cell phone numbers) back to your own shop and create with confidence.

What you will receive:

• 5 days of hands-on training (along with classroom time to explain not just how, but why)
• Extensive printed reference materials including ECC technical information and a 54-page textbook on GFRC
• 2 hours of live action videos on GFRC – A great refresher/reference to remind you of what you learned in class!
• 4 hours of online seminars
• A diploma
• Lifetime post-class support directly from Brett and Jeff
• Lifetime membership in The Concrete Countertop Institute

When you’re considering professional training ask yourself, “Where’s the proof that this training works?”

• Am I learning fundamental knowledge that I can build on for years to come?
• What level of reference materials and support will I receive?
• Are alumni running successful businesses? Ours do.

There are a lot of training classes out there, and ideally everyone would attend every class. If you can attend multiple classes, come to CCI first to get a solid foundation. If you have to choose just one, choose the one that gives you a solid technical foundation to build your business on.

Why should I take this class rather than some other GFRC or ECC class?

1. You will get post-class support from a company focused on your success.

Since 2004, almost 1300 people from all over the world have attended CCI training, and their proven success is what matters most.

With CCI, your training doesn’t stop when you leave the class. You’ll have lifetime support and membership in the community of CCI Alumni running successful businesses all over the world.

We are 100% dedicated to supporting our students. We are here to build your knowledge, your confidence, and your success.

CCI training WORKS.

But don’t take our word for it. CCI alumni have proved over and over that CCI training WORKS. That’s the real proof that training is worthwhile. See the proof here.

2. You will learn fundamental knowledge and a true understanding of not just how, but why.

GFRC is a highly specialized material with decades of research that show it requires certain fundamental ingredients and construction techniques in order to perform as expected. When done right, GFRC and ECC are extremely strong, flexible (literally) and durable.

When you understand not just how, but why, you will have 100% confidence in your concrete made with these techniques – after all, those who construct massive buildings have relied on them for decades.

Engineers like our founder Jeff Girard make things only as complicated as they need to be so that the building or bridge doesn’t fall down. Be certain your concrete creations won’t fail by relying on sound engineering principles. The laws of physics don’t change, so that’s why our information doesn’t change with the seasons.

3. Practical considerations of the ease of travel, plus the class experience.

Consider also when choosing a class, ease of travel to the location. Our London, ON location is convenient to travel to, with an international airport 15 minutes away from the hotel and shop. You won’t be in the middle of the woods somewhere, you will be in a large town with a wide selection of dining and entertainment options.

And if you’re traveling from the U.S., the strength of the U.S. dollar makes the trip extremely affordable. You will be just over the border, as London is located in between Detroit and Toronto. There are many non-stop flights to either Detroit or Toronto, or you can fly directly into the London ON international airport.

When and where is this class offered?

This class is offered twice yearly in London, ON. The next dates are December 2-6, 2019.

How much does it cost?

$2635 USD plus HST. Click here to register.

Breakfast, hot lunch and all class materials (textbook, mix calculator, videos and more) are included, plus all the benefits listed above.

Our London, ON hotel is conveniently located only 2 km from the shop and offers an affordable $110 CAD including free hot breakfast, free parking and free wi-fi. Many popular restaurants are located within minutes of the hotel.

What’s the class size?

Limited to 15 students.

Who should take this class?

You should be an aspiring concrete countertop professional interested in expanding your business. This class is not recommended for do-it-yourselfers. Consider the Level 1 self-study course instead.

How do I sign up?

Click here to register for the next class.