Hi all,

I lost my job befor christmas and because of that the welsh assemberly has kindly give me £1500 towards retraining. Ive done tiling befor but never got any NVQ's etc. The question is should I pay £1000 towards getting an NVQ 2 in tiling?
Ive read on here thats not a very good course. I could be wrong. This is the company I was would be going too: Access Training Wales

Sorry if this has been done to death, cheers all

Customers don't tend to ask to see an NVQ, but having one can help a guy new into the trade if he mentions it all the time - sort of thing.
From a training point of view it doesn't give you more, it clearly just shows you can do it. It's when you get out there and gain experience you really start to learn.

I'd spend what they give you on courses without the NVQ. And if it is that down the line you want to further yourself, do your NVQ then.

Also checkout a couple of different training centres before booking with any one. Going the closest one isn't always the best option for you.

How much training are you going to get for £1500 - 1 week, 6 weeks.......and what will you get at the end - workwise! Will they provide you with the contacts, a business plan, web page, advertising and tools.
How can they ask you to retrain when there is limited investment in the building industry, read through this forum and see how many tilers are looking for work, ask local tile suppliers if they will supply the contacts for jobs after your short course.
Do your homework on tiling as a career choice and see if the present economic climate makes this a favourable decision.
The money is free - take it and get the basics for what is the best job around - but don't be hoodwinked into believing everyone is lining up for you to tile their kitchen splashback.
My son and I got our NVQ 's a couple of years ago and they were free - something about me being a grandfather and him doing all the work

Cheers for the wise words both, I think I'm going to have to do my home work a bit first

i had a similar amount for retraining from the welsh office too, albeit a few years back now but i had a job to get it. i had to prove i was going self employed by showing a business plan and receipts for tools etc. i had a 2 week course which pretty much took up all the money. i later got my nvq but at the time there was funding for that too. i don't think the training company can offer you a course with the nvq at the end of it, they can only train you with a view to you getting your nvq whilst working for someone or whilst being self employed. i've had cscs card a few years now and untill a couple of months ago only used it for scraping the ice off the van windscreen. would i go for it again? if it was free , yes. good luck with whatever route you take

I would invest it in tools,advertising etc but if you really need training then get your nvq as you would not last long in the trade as every job varys! Good luck

as above

if your planning on doing any site work an nvq is needed to get a skilled cscs card , a lot of new build sites are asking for the cards