are courses better than a good book ?

[a1tiler]

let`s have more from the course providers, this after all is your chance to qualify the services that you offer.

 

[ryanbrown]

Personally I'm anticipating a crap slary for at least the next 18 months.

 

[crocotile]

you see the problem in life is if we dont conform to a certain opinion then we become extrodited....forums have trends, they have followers and if you speak against it becomes a lord of the flies mentality. its a shame really because you and i are trying to help the same people who critisize us for our alleged outspoken opinions,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[crocotile]

if i had to speak kindly of a course then it would be darren of NETT. at least he only advocates a 5 day course. he is good according to his overwhelming feedback excellent and he believes that you can learn adequatley in 4-5 days rather than paying nearly 2k for 4 weeks. fair play to him, a rebel with a cause

 

[ryanbrown]

Tiling isnt hard to begin with - but its challenging to go on with.

No course can guarantee you financial success, and thats why they don't do that - they show you the potential and the rest is up to you.

Even if you tot up the people who make a successful career move - and those that don't - as a way of gauging the success of tiling course it would be a
meaningless statistic because it doesnt take into account that about 35-40% of new businesses startups FAIL generally anyway (within 3 years of starting up) - regardless of what the business is !

So does that tell you much about the quality of a tiling course or an individuals ability to balance the books?
Also, to a small degree some people just want to learn a new skill regardless not neccessarily with the intention of starting a business.

A fairer question would be to ask people if they thought the course was worthwhile for THEM, and let people interprate that how they want.

If an individual finds a course on anything worthwhile, and got what they wanted out of it - surely thats all that matters isnt it?

 

[crocotile]

a very fair and valid input from ryan ;0)

 

[Deleted member 15]

i appreciate your coments on courses and it will be argued all day long as to what is the best route...but to say that tiling isnt really quite that hard then i disagree,,because there certain sections to the trade that are specialised and not every joe soap can do them ..i.e. geometric designs and installation..and to install types of naturals requires good knowledge of the product and if correct methods arnt used then it will fail in time to come......but as courses go then not everybody has the apportunity to get a placement with a tiler or company as i did .. so the next option is to do a course of some kind..everybody has to start some where as we all did at one point ..........dave...

Trust me tiling isnt hard, now geometric's, how often would an average tiler do them, not very often, a newbie could easily pass on those types of jobs, and naturals are all about the prep, read all about it and it'll be no different to ceramic and porc.

Is the average course going to teach you about geometrics and naturals no, it will be ceramic, waste of money, of which someone has said could be spent on tools .

 

[james]

their doesn't seem to be colleges about teaching tiling properly.
and some peoples work is shocking even after 20 years tiling.
if i could do a college course near me i would i just couldnt find one.

 

[ryanbrown]

Getting back to the main thread - books are bit convuluted really, but if you do get one "ceramic and stone tiling" by john ripley is pretty good but it can make it all sound a bit daunting. I can imagine it would get a bit like a mechanics manual - completely covered - but in adhesive.

Also videos/dvds are just a total joke. I watched one and it said you start at the windowsills (I assume you knock one up if there isnt one already there - and re-introduce yourselves to the neighbours) and centre it and work out from there onto the main wall with the groutlines matching up! even if this leaves an impossibly thin strip of tile at your corner!

A combination of a short course and work experience with a good tiler is the ideal situtaion I would say.

 

[versatilene]

I wasn't knocking the concept of training centres, A good teacher teaching practically WITH the books as aids is the quickest and best (doesn't matter whether in a centre or on the job). The point is that centres and staff are not regulated in any way for quality or qualifications, anyone can set up (just as anyone can call themselves a pro tiler) The sooner we have regulated standards for both the sooner the customers get quality gauranteed.
I am also sure there are quality centres providing a superb service just as there are quality tilers, just not all of them and somehow we need a way of finding out which is which.

 

[Fekin]

I don't think a book and your own bay can take place of doing a actually going on a course.
It would be so easy to read how to do something then start doing it, but do it wrong, and you have no one there to say "hey up, that's wrong, do it like this", so when you know nothing about something, you always need a third party there to keep an eye on what your doing, which a book cannot do.

What would be better is to do a course, then have all your books and practise area in the garage, then your own jobs, kitchen bathroom etc, as experiance on the job will never be beaten by theory alone.

 

[Shuntstick]

I am also sure there are quality centres providing a superb service just as there are quality tilers, just not all of them and somehow we need a way of finding out which is which.

"somehow we need a way of finding out which is which"
That supports why this forum is very useful and needed.

"Hablo un poco Espana" : I speak a little Spanish.
Anyway, a number of years ago when I first started learning the Spanish language I started with a book "Teach Yourself" .. great, I learned all the basics of a languge and built up vocabulary along the way.
I then moved onto a cassette course for slightly more advanced Spanish (CD was not invented then). As I progressed onto more difficult phrases and grammar I had a number of questions, for example my son asked me: how would you say: "May I ask you how old you are" and I was stumped because I could not remember "May I ask"
Fact being there is no such phrase as "May I" in Spanish, but I did not know that, I could not find it in any of the books or cassette course I owned and I had no one to ask or answer my question.
I found out much later, and most obviously, is to just say "Can I ... puedo"

I've been pretty long winded with one example, sorry, but I was just trying to show how a good book can show you the reader so much, but you need someone to guide you with your questions that will arise in any learning, as a good book, CD or DVD will not reply when you need advice.
I think this forum and the posts regarding training center/courses gives the readers a good idea what courses are good and meet your needs and those that are run by Cowboy fanchisees.

Most people can make up their minds having read this forum, the only thing I do think is very misleading on the websites is the use of the £30-40,000 earning potential of a tiler. Some people will see that and think "wow ... a 5 day course and I'll be earning $$$$$$" that's my only rant .... rant over.

 

[Fekin]

the only thing I do think is very misleading on the websites is the use of the £30-40,000 earning potential of a tiler. Some people will see that and think "wow ... a 5 day course and I'll be earning $$$$$$" that's my only rant .... rant over.

Well, it isn't impossible, but it's not easy either.

Some do make good money straight off, but many don't, but many courses do use the "come on our course and then earn big bucks

 

[versatilene]

My statement: "to be shown any skill by a good operator is always better than a text book."

quote=Dan;32400]
An ex-teacher congratulating posts that suggest a wanna-be tiler should train with any tiler to get into the trade?

Sorry Iv'e said my bit and was going to leave it at that but I have to respond to your crit (above) of my views.
Please don't misinturpret or jump to incorrect conclusions. My statement doesn't say that, the words 'any' or 'wanna-be' are not in my sentence. It clearly says 'good operator' I don't care whether that's in a centre OR on the job with a tiler, if they are good then they may be able to pass on their knowledge, what we need is a way of recognising who is good without going down the paper chase route as we are here to tile and make a living, not gather certificates.

 

[ChaseTiling]

Anybody that has any burning questions about getting value for money, qualifications and realistic expectations, then please call us using the details off the lilnk at the bottom of this post.

We are more than happy to positively involve ourselves with queries, but not to get involved in slanging matches and personal gripes from past experiences and rumours.


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