Alpine Tiling Training Centre is a tiling company that don't get much coverage on here and as it's a course that's been running for a very long time I thought it's worth mentioning on here.

Alpine Group | Homepage

Gary, the owner of the training facitites also has a tile showroom and a fixing service based in east sussex.

You can also download their information pack on their website.

If anybody has been on this course and would like to give us a little feedback then this is the place to do it.

I did my training at Alpine Tiling group, at Rye East Sussex, i did the two week course, it was very hands on from the word go, Gary was a really good guy on the training very helpful, if your not local he sorts out b&b for you, a very relaxed place to train. Highly recommend Alpine Training group.

Hi also did one week course back in january, Gary is a very knowledgable person-30 years experience. He is friendy and likes to get people hands on almost straight away, good training centre with different tiling situations-kitchen, bathroom, cloakroom. They all have real life like faults such as sloping walls, uneven worktops etc so its not a breeze!
You can start at 8 o clock and work through to 6 to get the most out of the time. You get to fully finish your tiling projects off, grouting in and then take photos. Gary likes to mark the jobs you do as if it were a paying job- you make lots of mistakes but learn very fast.
I would highly recommend this centre, professional, well appointed, value for money etc.

Neil

Hiya, as far as I know its just Gary that does the training- but I might be wrong!
He is very good, lets you make mistakes-then you have a very steep learning curve, but you really do learn a lot. I went back to my guest house feeling knackered everyday and was quite sad not to be doing another week really.
So at some point i will return for more training and a week away from the trouble and strife- just kidding she's lovely really.

Neil

As far as I'm aware(correct me if I am wrong)Gary does the training with his wife assisting in admin. He has about 6/7 guys who lay tiles for him. He loves using Ardex D20 adhesive, which I have used pretty much all the time as well for walls-its bloody good. I know it's expensive but you pay for what you get ....blah blah
i believe there is some kind of collaboration between gary and Ardex-certainly Ardex send their guys to gary for testing and advice...so in itself thats re-assuring.
I also know that Alpine is the only one to have Ardex especially re-labelled in Alpine tubs......now thats an interesting idea-bet that costs a bit!!

Neil...Not tiling the world, just enough to make a living!!

Hi everyone, My name is Dave Ames and I have just set up my business in Hailsham, East Sussex.
Although I had much self taught experience in tiling and wanted a career change into the business, I felt it was right to be trained professionally before I was out "on the road"!
I booked onto a four week course with the Alpine Training Centre in Rye, East Sussex and have not loooked back since. The course, run by Gary Sheffield was nothing short of excellent and I cannot recommend his company enough.
The course subject matter was presented and introduced in just the right way with every day being a challenge. Gary has just the right knack of giving bollockings when deserved and credit where it is due and motivates his students to keep striving to improve.
That being said, when a student on my course was doubting his own ability and went home on a Friday night not sure about his future in the industry, he was most suprised to receive a call from Gary on Saturday afternoon to check that he wasnt moping around worrying and was looking forward to making a fresh start on the Monday morning! That shows care on the part of the Training Centre and the tiler concerned is now out in the field with a blossoming order book of work!
Thanks Gary & the Team for everthing!
Anyone else got good or bad comments to make on Training Courses?

Hi Dave, i did my training with alpine a couple of years ago, yes gary is a really good guy, im not far from u im in rushlake green, so one day are paths might cross or if you have a problem job you need a look at give me a shout.

gary is the nuts, he is friendly and knows more bout tiling than any one i know. i would recommend alpine to any one, he really helped me out. i dont think i can fail after the course, i done a six week course.

gary 30 years in the game, runs a company well i will give him that , but then he has run a few, and yes i do now him from old , training impressive wow you must of learnt alot since early 90s , we all know him around here bless him ,

when u say round here, do u mean the web site or surry,

I'm pleased to say that Alpine Tiling now sponsor the forum.

Please leave any feedback about Alpine if you haven't done so already.

Richard (The boyfriend) also did his training at Alpine and loved every minute. Gary was always really supportive and he is always available still now (year or so on) if we have any questions. WOuld definately recommend Alpine

Cheers for the feedback. Keep it coming people.

Just finished the six week course with Gary down in Alpine Tiling and it was superb. Being new to the industry i was apprehensive to make the commitment, financially, but am glad i did.

Gary's knowledge and experience is second to none. It hand's on straight away and the progress you make is amazing. Gary covers everything you need to go into the industry. He gives credit where it's due and he also picks you up on things that a customer would notice. I got the chance to go out on a few jobs with one of his tilers which you don't get at any other Tiling centre's that i know!! Plus he was doing up a his showroom and he let us (students) loose in their to do Tiling.

It has given me the confidence now to go on and pursue a career in Tiling.

Can't praise Gary highly enough