I've been needing a career change for years now and have just been put on a 3 day week due to lack of work. I fancy starting a new career as a tiler and hopefully setting up own business etc. Does anyone know what type (if any) funding will be available to someone in my position? If I'm looking to set up my own business as a tiler, what courses/qualifications would I need before being able to function at that level as to run a business? Thought about north east tiling courses as I live near Newcastle and read some of their positive feedback but have no spare cash to cover the price of even the cheapest course. Been to citizens advice and jobcentre etc but they didn't give me much help.

Cheers in advance.

there's lots of different agencies offering certain courses and grants etc but you may not be eligible due to you still being in employment. i got a free course a few years ago but that was through the welsh office and i had a £1000 business grant through the want to work scheme (jobcentre) it really depends what sort of schemes are available in your area, but i don't think the jobcentre would help you too much. good luck with it but times are really hard for everyone at the moment

Cheers for the response. Would it even be possible to gain the relevent experience to start up a tiling business after just doing one of those 2-3 week intensive course things or would you need the on the job training working with someone for a year or 2 before jumping into it?

Hi and don't want to be to negative, but as above times are tough atm. To become a wll established tiler running your own buisness, can take many years.

The fast track courses will give you the basic principles of tiling, but as has been stated on here many times, tiling is a highly skilled trade, when done to a professional standard. Unfortunatly in the current climate, you will find yourself competing against many time served tilers, who are themselves struggling for work.

To compete against people who have been tiling many years, and have the speed and technical knowledge, that comes with experience. Could be very hard.

But if you decide to give it a go, I wish you good luck.

Couldn't agree with the above more. Some of the members on here have been tiling for 30+ years and are still learning. IMO it is not a business that you can (or want to) just "start up" and hope for an income. It takes unbelievable amounts of work and stress, years of hard work and then it still might not work. thats the cruel truth of it at the moment.

If however you have decided that you want to go into the tiling game and are prepared for all that then a decent coarse is a very good start, after that see if you can get some on site experience with a pro, this may mean working for free or for very little money.

You have come to the right place for info, have you tried doing a search on here for related treads?

Hi and welcome..Phils and Rich's post about saids it all.

Hi Infowarrior
If you are in threat of redundancy then give us a ring as there is funding for people in this position, if you are working then there isnt much funding about

Regards
Darren
NE Tiling Training (UK Trades Training)

Yes, I would definatley say I was under threat of redundancy. I'll try to give you a ring tomorrow sometime to discuss my circumstances.

As said above,

Its getting harder to make a living out there.

You wont make money after 2/3 weeks as tiling is not an easy trade, a lot of hard graft to make things work.

I worked as a tilers mate for 2 years earning £35 a shift but i knew that if i stuck at it i could make it work.
I really struggled to make ends meet when i 1st went out on my own but it eventually paid off.

I ended up giving work to my mate who taught me & we went back working together on my terms with a 50/50 split as my contacts were all building & his contacts werent.

Between us we get work coming in from everywhere so its all good just now.

If you do go for a career change then stick with this forum as its the best place you will find for honest free advice.

Good Luck.

There is great and honest advice above. I'm sure that Darren at NE Tiling Training will do what he can to assist you.

I would just like to understand what tiling experience you have, and why you feel tiling is the trade for you, please?
I wish you well in your endeavours and hope you have the fitness, design eye, patience, ability etc. to make a career from it.

We will always be here to answer any questions that you may have, but please don't expect to walk out of one career and instantly into another.

Good lucK

Daz

Hi Infowarrior
Speak to Tracey Or Leanne and we can point you in the right direction, if we can get the funding for you it will cost you nothing to find out if your any good at the trade, by the time you finished the course you will know if its for you or not as i will be put you through the paces.
Regards
Darren

For the answer to Daz, I have no experience of tiling at all but it's always been something I wouldn't mind giving a try. Reckon it would give you good sense of achievement once you've finished a complex job. Darren: I spoke to your Mrs today mate and she was very helpfull. Basically, before you can go any further concerning getting any funding for me to train I've got to get a letter from my gaffer saying I'm under threat of redundancy. If I get that we can take things from there. Think I should be able to see him sometime tomorrow and hopefully he'll do me a letter unless he decides to be awkward but we'll see.

Cheers for all the helpful info.

Originally Posted by infowarrior

For the answer to Daz, I have no experience of tiling at all but it's always been something I wouldn't mind giving a try. Reckon it would give you good sense of achievement once you've finished a complex job.

You get a great sense of achievement from every job mate!
I admire your enthusiasm and hope that this can work out for you.
I'm sure that you will learn loads from the training course and I wish you well in launching your career as a tiler.
Just remember that it is a tough market for all trades so don't expect to be earning big from day one.

Good luck,

Daz

Welcome to the forum and you are in the right place. Plenty of advice here.

We go to some of the tile training venues to teach about drilling difficult tiles to students.
Been doing it five years and always found the ones that are enthusiastic and ask questions.

Are the ones that do really well.....

If you are willing to learn and ask lots then I think you will go far.