would love some advice!!

[markyneeds]

Right, i am desperately trying to get into the tiling trade, i am currently working full time and have no experience in tiling other than a few days working for my mate. The course i plan to do is a 6 week city and guild, you have two years too complete the course with Access training in wales but i however plan to do 1 week every month, meaning in 6 months i would have completed the course.

Is there any tilers out there in the Bristol area who need a hard working and keen learner? Or any advice on how to maybe get into tiling, i.e best company's etc. I need a job which would allow me to take 1 week a month off to do the course as i need to work to earn a bit of money.

Cheers

 

[cam_low]

how old are you ? why do you want to be a tiler ? do you have an artistic flair ?

 

[markyneeds]

Hi there, im 29, i want to be a tiler because i believe it is a trade i will enjoy, i have done lots of research on various other trades, and although some seem to be better paid i just think tiling will suit me. I had a bit of experience this week working for a mate and although only 3 days i really enjoyed it. Iv taken the easy option for the last 10 years i now want to learn something new which i believe i will be good at! Obviously with no idea of how to go about starting its a bit daunting, but it is what i want to do!

 

[cam_low]

Im actually 29 also. How affluent is the area you wish to undertake work ? Have you checked out your competition in the local area ?

 

[markyneeds]

i believe the area is very good for work, being in bristol we are close to somerset, bath, Gloucestershire. I had a look on yell and compared to other trades people there a few tilers, only 8 pages compared to the 30-40 electricians, plumbers etc, so it gives me the reason to think work is out there. I also know a couple of carpenters who can throw a bit of work my way, i know it will be slow and hopefully build up later but im honestly not leaving a lot behind in my current job!

Did you do any training course?

 

[cam_low]

I can recommend the NETT course I undertook however I also worked with a tiler to learn my trade also. Its a hard slog out there these days with all the competition undercutting our rates.

I have just moved to London and Im working in a tile shop for now but I am hearing so many cowboy stories its just silly. So as far as Im concerned as long as there are people like that out there it will keep tilers like myself in endless amounts of work.

It took me four years to become known as arguably the best tiler in the town I lived in at the time. Its gonna be a long slog ahead of you but I wish you the best of luck. You will be able to find details of courses on this site that are more local to you however if I was you I would travel north and also undertake NETT's plastering course as it will save you on getting another trade in when you have to bond walls up or just give a quick skim to give a good surface for tiling onto!

 

[markyneeds]

Thank you very much for your advice. I will look into that course, i have however just found a 10day city and guilds course with a college called construction skills, they have a centre in stoke and wolves, i rang them and they say it offers a City and guild level one which is fairly basic i would have thought but its a start!

Any ideas on how i could get involved with a tiler at all? Iv emailed a load today just inquiring about trainee positions so will wait and see if i get anything back from that..doubtful though!

 

[DHTiling]

When doing a short course don't worry about the piece of paper they give you after completion , it's worth nothing in the tiling world.
Look at what the course criteria offers you and try to visit the place with no notice and ask students their opinions then you get unbiased feedback.

But as with any short course the training is Only an insight to what tiling involves , it will take yrs to perfect skills.

 

[afright]

Have been at it for 42 years and still learning, there is lot more to it than a short course and away you go,try and find a good est firm and start at the bottom,I spent 3 years grouting before I even fixed a tile,Good luck.

 

[bugs183]

It's very different from when i started, you worked with a tiler all the time. The great thing now is that there are things like this forum, so you can ask any questions and too be fair there is no-one here that will moan at you because 'you should know, i had to learn the hard way etc'
As you say get on a course and work with a tiler.
A course will be good for you as you will certainly be doing more job skills than working for a tiler. Any tiler who cares about their work won't let you loose tiling early on,as if you make a mistake he'll have to fix it, with the training course you will be very hands on.
With the tiler you'll see how the day to day issues are and how to deal with them, duff floors, customers, and above all how to moan properly like a real tiler, my moaning has really come into it's own and it's taken 22 years.
As jobs go it is very rewarding, as you can see what you've done, and you get great customer feed back.
On the downside, how much you'll earn week to week is anyones guess, and say goodbye to a few weekends!!!
Good luck.