Short courses and my opinion

[Gareth Raines]

i have seen alot of bad tilers in my time not saying your one but 90% of them come from these courses do 6-8 weeks then think they can tile,when the 100% cant

 

[Dan]

Moved to the tiling courses discussion forum, the feedback forum is for those who have been on courses only.

There are loads of threads on this issue. I think they're a good way to get into the trade but whether you've done an apprenticeship for years, college for months, or short course for weeks, you don't start to learn properly until you gain experience working on your own.

Not everybody (certainly the older blokes) have time to do anything longer to be honest. And the fact that you don't need an NVQ to actually go out there and tile perhaps contributes to it moreso than the short courses themselves.

In a perfect world it would be a certified trade a bit like sparky's or gas plumbers with the Gas Safe Register. Though we're not in a perfect world so people can go out there tiling with no training whatsoever.

 

[kilty55]

care to elaborate on this!

 

[Gareth Raines]

i gained skills though on job training then after 4 years, i had a assesor to come out to view my work to gain my nvq,not saying the courses dnt teach the very basics but they dnt give you the experience to go and do jobs on your own and if they do most make big mistakes, which i would'nt of, not saying im pefect by any means. These courses are fine if you want to do a bit of DIY or help a tiler labouring were you would start to learn but nothing else.

 

[kilty55]

so you dont think its possible to run your own tiling business by starting off with a course gareth?

 

[charlie1]

What course, or how long you have been a tiler is not really any indication of how bad a tiler is. Overrulling factor is the standards of the individual! What is a bad tiler? slow? poor quality? I have seen some shocking work from time served guys who I know could do better however they tile to the standards of what will be passed in order to achieve a certen meterage! Are these bad tilers? I dont think so. Me personally, every job i do, i try to do it better than the one before and achieve as close as i can to perfection (which you will never get) however at some point in every job due to whatever reason eg quality of tiles or substraight you realise the job is only going to hit a certain level (a good enough level) but you know its not your personal best. I wish i had the attitude , if the customer is happy then thats all that matters, id be a lot quicker rather than every new job i start, trying to make it the holy grail of tiling lol, it does my head in sometimes i tell u!

 

[Gareth Raines]

a experinced tiler would know how to set out a shopping a swimming pool a 50mtr room with 6 other room running of running in bond a tiler who has been on a 6 week course wouldnt know were to start, so no i dont believe a tiler who has been on one of these course can just set up a tiling buissness unless he is just doing handyman jobs like splashbacks here and there. im very similar to you charlie your only as good as your last job a very true saying.

 

[doug boardley]

a experinced tiler would know how to set out a shopping a swimming pool a 50mtr room with 6 other room running of running in bond a tiler who has been on a 6 week course wouldnt know were to start, so no i dont believe a tiler who has been on one of these course can just set up a tiling buissness unless he is just doing handyman jobs like splashbacks here and there. im very similar to you charlie your only as good as your last job a very true saying.

would you know how to do all that after 6 weeks into an apprenticeship? I don't think so. Everybody has to start somewhere and experience comes with time, whatever route you take.

 

[kilty55]

a experinced tiler would know how to set out a shopping a swimming pool a 50mtr room with 6 other room running of running in bond a tiler who has been on a 6 week course wouldnt know were to start, so no i dont believe a tiler who has been on one of these course can just set up a tiling buissness unless he is just doing handyman jobs like splashbacks here and there. im very similar to you charlie your only as good as your last job a very true saying.

you will find most guys who have come of courses are not going to be pricing swimming pools or shopping centre floors gareth ,domestic market is probably where they are going to start there careers.

 

[Gareth Raines]

yes but after a six week course you should'nt be let lose on any private job neither should a apprentice, need more training example labouring on a experienced tiler.not goin out there on private jobs.

 

[kilty55]

i do agree the apprenticeship route is the best option gareth...its just not there anymore though is it?

these short course must get on your nerves there is no doubting that especially when work is becoming more scarce,you will find that further courses are available from most good training schools sometimes even just tailored to the individuals needs /requirements so to say that they are doing a one of course and thats it isnt entirely correct.....albeit its not years they are gaining and yes it is not on the job paid customers.

what i will say is by doing a reputable course and following it up with further courses and continual training and a lot of good help on here good old tilers forum you can acheive it.there is no doubt about that.

smaller jobs are best to start with to gain experience,and to be fair there are plenty and i mean plenty time served trades in all sectors who are pants and have no standards.

 

[Gareth Raines]

you have hit the nail on the head people are doing these course's which take 6 weeks, were i have trained for 7-8 years and they are taking work of alot more experienced tiler who knows alot more about the trade. thanks for the post

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Gareth - I can see where you are coming from and a lot of members may have similar thoughts, however as Dan originally pointed out we are not a regulated trade so anyone can sell their wares as a 'tiler'.
As long as you provide the highest standards you can, that's all that matters. That and having the passion to be concerned enough to vent your opinions in what is the Best Tilers Forum around.

 

[kilty55]

you have hit the nail on the head people are doing these course's which take 6 weeks, were i have trained for 7-8 years and they are taking work of alot more experienced tiler who knows alot more about the trade. thanks for the post

i think your looking at this the wrong way gareth.....

you have to ask yourself why and how they are taking your work?

what are they doing to get the work? and what are you doing to get the work?

these courses are not going to dissapear,in all honesty i dont think many from the courses stay long term self employed in the industry i would think it would maybe be 1 in 10 does but i dont know exact statistics.

 

[bugs183]

I think it all depends on the individual and their overall attitude to tiling.
As much as everyone says they can tile, they can't. It is a finishing trade and also to a degree it is art (too pretentious?). If a finishing trade is done badly then it upsets the look of the whole job.
I've tiled on site over 20 years, and even now i get snags or situations that would never come up in a training room. But i don't think training is a bad thing.
My friend took a weeks course and then worked with me for a while and i smoothed out some of the things he didn't know, or wouldn't have been shown, he's a great tiler because he wants to do a good job. On the other hand we employed several time served fella's who were only interested in the money, and made a right pigs ear, costing us as we had to redo their work.

 

[Ian]

You do have a point but as with everything, there are always exceptions. I did a 2 week course after doing tiling on a DIY basis and enjoying it, if you look in my profile albums, the F1 showroom was done 18 months after my course. Granted I wasn't a complete novice before doing the course but, each person is different and if you put the time and dedication into learning, you will reap the rewards.