Advice needed!! Fast track courses any good?

[zed333]

Hi Guys,

I have just joined the forum and was looking for some advice. I am currently working for a telecommunications company and have been offered voluntary redundancy. I really want to get a trade and work for myself. Obviously I will have some money to invest in a new business and training, so i was looking for some advice and guidance.

I spoke to one of my mates who's a plumber and he recommended tiling, the reason being he felt it was one of the easier trades to learn and get training in quickly. Also he said he could refer alot of work to me, as he is often asked if he knows a tiler when he does jobs himself.

I have tiled a few times in my own house and enjoyed it and actually got some really good results.

What I need to know is, are these fast track courses worth the money? I am realistic and have been reading various forums the last few nights. I get the impression they give you a good basis of knowledge to work from, but I am realistic and acknowledge I will need to learn alot on the job myself. I am interested to hear from people who have or know of people who have been on these courses and have made a success of them. I am interested to know where is best place to learn and what sort of qualifications are sort after? As I am intending to be self employed but would like the option to work on sites aswell.

I have spoken to Access Training based in Cardiff, who seem very knowledgable and friendly. I've read alot about people saying its impossible to learn everything in 8 weeks and gain the qualifications advertised, but this place is adamant I will walk away with a NVQ 2 Diploma. Has anyone been here for training and is it a good place to learn the trade?

I totally understand people will reply and say not to do a fast track course, but I have a mortgage and bills ect, so i cant exactly go back to college for 2-3 years, which is why I am looking at the fast track options.

Cheers

 

[AliGage]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
Are courses the best place to learn. In my opinion no. However, opting for the 8 week course is far better than the week long one that promises the earth. You won't learn aspects of what you'll need to know but you'll get a foot hold and understanding of the basics. Much like anything the rest comes with experience.
Get yourself a copy of British standards for wall and floor tiling and use it as your bible. The courses tend to overlook some aspects and to be honest there are people coming through this route that that don't know much more than they did when they started and have picked up some bad habits along the way.
Be meticulous. Stick to standards and do as much research on the products and materials available nowadays. It's never good in anything to cut corners. It's not an easy industry to get into right now but set yourself apart from the rest and ensure you do all your work correctly and to the best of your ability.
Sitework will give you employment straight of the bat and let you get some hands on before going private. Competition is fierce and there is a lot of it. It's not easy working all sorts of hours and managing the business and admin alongside as well. Take your time with your new venture.
This forum is a cracking resource and there are many members that are more than willing to offer help and advice to people willing to learn and carry out things correctly.

Your plumber friend is wrong by the way. The concept of tiling is simple. Learning it and doing it well is not. Tilers don't have the option of "speedfit" materials to make our lives easier!
I wish you all the best with your new career path.

 

[Martyn Leeds]

I don't agree with your pal that tiling is one of the easier trades to learn. As you'll see from the forum there's a minefield of what to know re materials & preparation. Why not do a plumbing course, and then you can work with your pal to get the experience, perhaps add tiling later once the ball's rolling.

 

[CJ]

Plumbers know everything. :mad2:

 

[prceramics]

you will not get your nvq in 8 weeks mate because you can only get it when you are working in the trade all they will do is register you for your nvq and point you in the right direction you might get it a couple of years later if you work hard at it.

 

[Brian the Tile]

dont throw your money away,

 

[Sean SML Tiling]

You will learn more by going with someone off here for 8 weeks and use the money what tje course will cost for tools or an extra 4 weeks on site

 

[DHTiling]

NO!! Short course will provide an NVQ 2 ... you cannot take an NVQ just like that.. 3 yrs minimum before you can..

If you are being told they can , then it is a blatant lie.. and they should be reported..

 

[Artisan998]

Your plumber mate is correct, tiling will well easy, the course should probably be shortened to just a couple of days...............:sofahide:.........( I was gonna leave this post as it was and see what kind of incoming i got from the forum faithful).

Its like any fast track training, its gonna give you a basic understanding of the trade. Ideally you would find someone who you can shadow and learn on the job after your training rather than jumping straight in and making a hash of someones bathroom etc. seen it loads of time with lads who have done fast track plastering and then they think they can start banging of full rooms and it all ends in tears.............I still think setting out is the hardest and most time consuming part of tiling...................Thats why i get a tiler in.......................

 

[Time's Ran Out]

This is the best job in the world! No pipe fitter is going to belittle my trade without reply ... We cover up his mess every job. (polite reply)
Save your money and invest in property pay off your mortgage and become a plumber it's easy.

 

[High Peak Tiling]

Hello & Welcome

 

[zed333]

Guys, i'm really thankful that you've spent your time replying giving me advice and welcoming me to the forum.

I think good old faite has played its hand today, as I didnt get accepted for my voluntary redundancy. I am therefore now going to look into doing a tiling course at St.
Helens college along side my job and do it over two years instead......hopefully i get offered the redundancy again in the future.

Thanks again and I will set my plumber mate straight and tell him to give the tiling trade more respect!!!

Thanks again

 

[bugs183]

If the tiling was so 'easy' (which we hear all the time!), then your mate wouldn't be plumbing!

 

[prceramics]

Plumbers know everything. :mad2:

if you tile like the plumbers do it is easy and you can be ready to tile in about 3 hours fully trained