Advanced Apprentice — Hardwood Floors

Operations
· West Michigan
· On-site
· Full-time

For floor techs with some experience. Run your own prep, sanding and finish steps on a Lead's job, with paid training and a clear path to Technician.

Location West Michigan
· On-site

Employment Full-time

Department Operations

Pay Commission only

Schedule Full time, Monday to Friday. The crew rolls out at 7:00 AM.

The Advanced Apprentice is a full working member of an Old to Gold crew. You do the defined steps of a job without being walked through them, on a job a Lead owns. You own your prep, your between-coat cleaning, and the sanding and finish work on the areas you are given. Paid training continues, the company van gets you to the job, and the crew rolls out at 7:00 AM.

What you'll do

• Own the prep on your areas: furniture and appliance moves, moulding and vents, masking, and dust containment — doorways sealed, HVAC returns pre-filtered.
• Walk the floor before sanding, refasten loose boards and set every visible fastener.
• Run the drum, edger and sanders with little supervision. Hand-scrape and block-sand where the edger can't reach. Take edger scratch out along the walls with the random orbital and blend to the final grit.
• Own the between-coat steps: a thorough vacuum with the felt head and angled nozzle, and never outdoor shoes on a final-vacuumed floor.
• Do installations on your own — cutting, fitting and fastening — and continue layouts the Lead has set.
• Spot and fix finishing problems like bubbles and streaks, and do repairs that blend in.
• Keep the van stocked and maintained, and give the machines their Friday care.
• Show a Beginner Apprentice how a step is done when the Lead asks.

What we expect

• You work independently and finish your day's work on schedule.
• You answer a customer's question about what you are doing right now. Anything about scope, price, timeline or a change goes to the Lead.
• You note the stain color and any change to the quote and hand it to the Lead the same day.
• You wear the required protection: N95 or better for dust, a cartridge respirator with oil-based product, plus hearing and eye protection. You handle rags and dust the safe way, every day.
• You check cord and circuit before plugging in, and unplug before changing abrasives or leaving the site.
• You follow the Customer Experience Process on every job.

Where this goes The next rung is Journeyman
. You move up when you can do every core task on your own and run a job from start to finish on budget and to Old to Gold's standards.

Commission only

Hours 40–50 hours a week, typically 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Reports to Operations Manager; day to day, the Lead on your job

Where Customers' homes across West Michigan, out of the Old to Gold shop

• A valid driver's license before your first day
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Hands-on experience sanding, finishing or installing wood floors — on the job or through training
• Able to work on your own and keep to the day's schedule
• Able to lift heavy objects, stand and walk for long periods, and do strenuous physical work
• Basic first aid and safety awareness
• Dependable attendance

• Paid training, plus Bona, Pallmann, Norton and NWFA courses
• Company van to and from the job
• Paid time off
• A clear path to Technician and Lead

Posted Tuesday, October 6, 2026
· Old to Gold — Careers