Hi career change or not?

[Minty913]

Hi

I’m not a tiler but am seriously thinking of a careerchange, I am currents serving in the army and I’m at a point where I need tochoose what to do, I have been self employed before and I know how hard it canbe to make ends meet and to find work.

I have always enjoyed tiling ( for friends & familyetc..) and am thinking about taking it up full time but want to take on acourse first & work towards an NVQ has any one had experience with these courses in or around the Swindon area?I have heard mixed reviews.

I was thinking when I’m doing the course, maybe asking thelocal traders if they would like any free labour so I could gain experience ordo you think that is wrong?



Many thanks

Minty

 

[Del W]

Hello Minty,go to the section on courses for feedback.Training will give you all the basics but hands on tiling is a lot different. Good luck.

 

[Minty913]

Thanks for the reply ill have a look now.

hands on is what i am worried, would working for free at weekend for a trader work?

 

[Del W]

Labouring for a tiler,paid or not,is a good way to start.Also do small,simple jobs for people you know.

 

[Minty913]

cool thank you

i can not do anything for a years but i want to find out as much as i can before i sign off if i do.

i take it most if not all the nvq courses are full time?

 

[Ian]

Welcome along to the forum. There are on site/ on job NVQ's available but you do need to show evidence of your working to an assessor, so experience is necessary! Catch 22! My advice would be similar to that already given,do a 2/4/6 week course then, do small jobs for family and friends to begin with to build up your confidence then gradually work your way into the public and aim towards getting your NVQ that way. Doing an NVQ full time will require alot of your time, which is OK if you have the time available. All the best Bri.

 

[Max@ableskills]

Hi and welcome to the forum

 

[DHTiling]

Hello Minty and welcome...

 

[worro]

Hi there minty, be carefull mate when chosing a corse I know when I first started I paid £700.00 for a two week corse and all the instructor tought me was how to lean on a pallet and smoke a ****. Cheers John...you know who you are!!!. I realised very early on in my carreer that I needed to work for a tiling firm, and do a sort of aprentiship if you like. I worked as a Jobbing tiler for 5 years then gained enough experiance to go on my own. Realise as well that once you start on your own you"ll have to build a custumer base up which could take a least 3 years if you lucky...its not easy but if you stick at it you will reap the benifits in the end......good luck!!!

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Hi MInty, as above maybe a mix of course work/ hands on with a pro. Good luckand:welcome:

 

[White Room]

Hi and welcome..

 

[Minty913]

So would you recommend after doing some courses try and get work with otherlocal tillers?

leaving the army is hard and trying to go in to a trade or course in armytime is harder that’s why I was thinking get a course done then work for freeat weekend so when I leave in a year’s time I should of found my feet

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

So would you recommend after doing some courses try and get work with otherlocal tillers?

leaving the army is hard and trying to go in to a trade or course in armytime is harder that’s why I was thinking get a course done then work for freeat weekend so when I leave in a year’s time I should of found my feet

Minty, I commend you and your fellow service men/women, for the fine job you do, I have so much respect for our armed forces.

Are there not any courses you could enroll on whilst still serving? I may be wrong, but i'm sure there have been members here who did courses in trades, prior to leaving the forces. If you could get on a course, and then contact a pro. member in your area, to get some experience.

 

[Minty913]

Thanks for all the advice

Thank you very much

Yeah there is if i do another 2 years I will get fullresettlement but two years is a long time lol

I’m going to have a word with are education department seewhat they think might be worth me staying in a while longer just for that package.



Thanks again

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Good luck, Where are you from Minty?