are courses better than a good book ?

[ChaseTiling]

These days to get on most sites you need a CSCS card, you just wont be allowed on without one. I got one just over a year ago, because it was getting increasingly difficult to get on site without one, and yes it states on my card that I'm a Wall&Floor Tiler, in order to gain that accreditation your skills have to be tested by the CITB-Construction Skills Board.

A sensible move forward

 

[ChaseTiling]

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.

Just for the record here,

We are an accredited CITB / City & Guilds Centre.

To get that status, you need to have:

1. A City & Guilds Quality Assurance strategy in place
2. City & Guilds Learner Strategies in place
3. Regular checks from the CITB to ensure you are complying with policy
4. Each tutor with a teaching qualification
5. Each tutor trade qualified
6. Each tutor A1 assessor qualified
7. Strict checks on learner portfolio's before certification

We have all of the above

To find a centre that is strictly regulated to deliver ACCREDITED tiling training (City & Guilds), then click here:

[DLMURL]http://www.caalliance.co.uk/[/DLMURL]

 

[reaper72]

I know lots of guys who don't have papers but are good tilers because they have spent years working with time served tilers....books and courses do not come anywhere near hands on experience.........

Now correct me if I am wrong here;but I remember a rep from webber trying to get me to buy some gear from me,and showing me that they run a 2 day tiling course(I may be wrong-could have been 5 days)....what are you going to learn in 5 days? Seriously,it's guys like this clown who are taking lads money....letting them think that they are tilers,when they only have a very basic knowledge of tiling....and sadly it's unfortunate that these guys try to tackle a job out of their league and balls it up,and all they do is tarnish the reputation of the trade that is tiling......feel free to argue or agree..........:furious3:

 

[Dan]

Thanks for your input, you clearly feel strongly about it and have a view that you believe is good for the industry, which can only be a good thing and it's what we're all aiming for really.

I just think there has to be a bit of everything. I know some centres say you earn big bucks, and I know some centre's are short but I think its been proven time and time again that some of the tilers from short courses are really good ones, and not just the sort of person that is good at everything either.

I used to say, do a short course, do your own home, the your family, then a few friends, then you'll have found a few personal problems, as you would want to in a controlled environment. Then if you feel you need more training then give your centre a bell and even if you do the same course again at least this time you'll have lots of questions and a better understanding.

And at this point, if it wasn't for you, you'd know to back out of it, you can't charge for jobs that will fail, and you can't get much work if you have very little reputation or none at all. Even worse a bad one.

This is a fair valid entry point for a good tiler, and doing it this way he has a chance. Sometimes people can be hammered with too much information on a long course, others can and want to take that much in as they understand it a little better perhaps.

Others may want to go to college, and others with their old man or his mate.

The problem isn't any one of the above. It is the said 'trainee' tiler committing himself/herself into saying they are ready, and charging for poor work or feeling confident when you know there are actually some things you still don't know.

Short courses can only be knocked until you've seen the good guys work. The person going on the course are usually the type of person who doesn't want to mess around with getting the skills under their belt, they'll want a quick learning process, one that they can take on board one week (or more) and then practise over the next few, knowing they have support afterwards and extra help from such sites like these.

Again I say it is the type of person that just gets sucked in the the babble that will fail, and they can come from colleges and time served tiler teaching a guy type scenarios too, and that's a fair comment to I believe.

Trying to cut down on the amount of failed tiling jobs is the reason I feel so strongly about allowing and ensuring such discussions take place and the aim behind the forum really. And that would help a time served tiler, a college student, a short course tiler, a DIY'r.... they can all do bad and good work and the only way to improve it all is to research, train, practise, train, practise, commit and never stop learning really.

 

[Brio]

Cheers for that Reaper. Your post just helps to underline my original point, without trying to denigrate any other tilers, regardless of how they aquired their skills. my view is, if their earning a regular wage from the job, they must be doing something right. and therefore are well worthy of the title, PROFESSIONAL TILER.

 

[woodie]

i started with a short 3 day course with norcros and got myself in with taylor tiles where i worked with an experienced tiler who taught me all i neede to know(nice guy Pete) the course only cost 80 quid but it was worth it just to get the job with taylors....:yes:

 

[Dan]

Nice one woodie, well done mate. I too did a BAL wall course (never found time to do the floor one). Although at the time is was free to do, as it pushed their brand whilst providing the training.

 

[Varley]

Fair enough Varley, Please accept my appologies. Maybe I did read more into your post than I should have. Just that when you expressed surprize when I said I was still learning even after 20+yrs in the Tiling Trade, your intimation seemed to suggest that tho my knowledge of the Trade was still somewhat lacking,that you, after doing a short course, could supply that knowledge. If this was not the case, then again I appologise for getting a bit steamed up.

No probs at all Brio m8 and believe me, I was not suggesting that I could supply that knowledge, there is no one on this forum soaking up more information than me as each day goes by, be it through experience on the job or by coming on this forum and there is still so much that I haven't experienced yet.

I was happy with what I got out of my five day course, it was exactly what I was looking for, however, in my opinion, the best form of training is still the apprenticeship, if only I knew at the time that tiling was what I wanted to do then that would have been the route I would have took. However at the age of 27 with a wife, mortgage and a kid, apprenticeship is not an option.

 

[GazTech]

So I think we all agree a book couldn't teach it you all, nor a tiling course. But I think you've got a much better chance getting into the trade if you do a course rather than read a book, i'd buy the book too if you enjoy reading or at least loan a couple from your local library.

I remember a bloke on Grand designs ,who read a book for each project...he built a magnificent staircase..some people are just clever both academicaly,and practically...I fall into both catagories....I know...it's a burden........Gaz

 

[Dan]

I remember a bloke on Grand designs ,who read a book for each project...he built a magnificent staircase..some people are just clever both academicaly,and practically...I fall into both catagories....I know...it's a burden........Gaz

You charmer you. :8:

 

[Shuntstick]

I remember a bloke on Grand designs ,who read a book for each project...he built a magnificent staircase..some people are just clever both academicaly,and practically...I fall into both catagories....I know...it's a burden........Gaz

Did you mean Academically?
:thinking2:

 

[Dan]

I'm just bumping some of the tiling course & tiling training related threads. Ignore them if they're not current threads for you. They will drop back off the list in a week or so, and I don't do this much.