just registered

[micko76]

I am like so many of the other members here in that I am in a dead end job and want to do something that is rewarding ie tiling. I live in Belfast and have decided to do the PTS 4 week course in Warrington. I am not too sure whether to keep my current job on and work p/t as a tiler or, would it be possible to take up the tiling pretty much straight away? Common sense says that I should do the tiling part time until I have built up experience, however I could only do evenings and weekdays, this would affect any jobs that I put in a tender for. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers

 

[Concept PHT]

Go for it flat out - thats what I did and it has worked for me

Good luck

 

[micko76]

not sure yet, just bought a new apartment and do not want to balls that up! I do not have a huge amount of savings to cover the mortgage when I starting up, I would need to be earning enough money to at least cover it within 2 months.

 

[Concept PHT]

You will have no problems there mate, beleive me

You will be very suprised how the work streams in.....

 

[micko76]

i have been weighing this up for a while now, my first preference has always been leaving my job and going straight into the tiling. Though I still have nagging doubts that I can really learn a trade in 4 weeks and become self employed. Contractors are unlikely to give with someone who is not time served

 

[Concept PHT]

Well thats exactly what I did and it worked for me.... and I have done commercial contracts and know of guys local to me that have literally left the training centre and gone straight on site.

My idea is 'if you don't ask, then you don't know....'

Remain positive and never underestimate yourself

 

[micko76]

Cheers for the advice, I think you are right, I am very keen to do tiling for the rest of my life. Do you know anyone who has been on to the pts course?

 

[Concept PHT]

Personally, I don't know anybody that has been on the PTS course. But as LR says, go for a course that offers some kind of recognised qualification from it, such as the ICA (Intermediate Construction Award), which is the foundation you will need to go ahead and get your NVQ2 in Tile Fixing.

Be aware that some trainers state they offer recognised quals in the form of 'modules' towards the NVQ. Which is all well and good, but the modules they give you are the bone ones like 'Employment Relations' and 'Health and Safety', which you can pass anywhere with some common sense and by doing your CSCS test. Nothing really to do with tiling.....

You will have to shop around carefully, and don't always go for the cheapest - go for the one that is going to give you EXACTLY what you are looking for.

I think there are only a couple of places in the UK that offer qualifications in tiling. BAL, Step to Training and very soon, Chase Tiling Academy.

 

[UKTT Darren]

North East Tiling Training and some other training centres offer a Nationally Recognised qualification in tiling, I am a qualified teacher and NVQ tiler assessor level 1,2,3. City and Guilds NVQ is just one organisation that is recognised as a standard of training and when you pass a NVQ it just means that you have been tutored to that standard, As i said before there are many other organisations that have the equivalent standard of learning making their certificate worth having, I,m not saying its a nvq just the same standard as learning. The only way you can get full NVQ is by attending colleges or by doing work based assessments out on the jobs and gaining the evidence that is required to complete your potfolio of units

 

[Alsager Tiling]

I did the 4 week course at PTS in October, it was at their Essex branch. Although i have nothing to compare it with, in my view it was excellent, and i don't think personally that you could get all the information you require in anything less than 4 weeks.

I have started as self-employed and i am doing ok, with some contract work for a flooring company and a few private jobs.

Rgds
Andy

 

[Concept PHT]

Good luck Andy, and welcome to the debate!!

 

[micko76]

hmmmmnnn decisions, decisions! I think I fell into the trap of believing what the tiling courses websites said, ie become a self employed tiler in 4 weeks. I am 30, married and have a mortgage so I have to start earning asap and cannot afford to spend time trying to gain experience whilst earning next to nothing. If I do a 4 week course it will more than likely mean me having to leave my current job, so I will need to earn money from tiling, quickly! Would anyone recommend offering my services to local established tilers, say for one day a week, to build up my experience/confidence? Sorry for all the questions, I am just trying to cover all bases. Thanks for all the advice so far

 

[micko76]

I had not even thought of that! It would be a means to an end, could give me the chance to build up my experience and confidence. Driving is no bother, I am willing to go where the work is. I will check out the local agencies in N. Ireland. I have friends who are builders, plumbers and developers and I intend to put myself forward for work with them however I want to cover all bases and the agency work will help.Cheers for the advice

 

[micko76]

i checked with some agencies and they reckon they would be able to get me work, which is a reassurance. with regards the phone numbers, that would be great, I amtrying to get as much advice as possible and trying to gather contacts wherever. cheers for the help

 

[T & P]

Micko

Have you thought of splitting the four weeks up all of the training centres I have spoken to will let you do any combination of weeks. I'm in a similar position I could not get 4 weeks off straight from work the only I could do it would be to leave. But I can have upto 2 weeks off at a time so that is what I am doing until I have done all my tiling training plus a week of plastering and maybe even a week of plumbing. Best of luck what ever you decide. Also thanks L & R Ceramics for the agency advice.

 

[T & P]

i could suggest if you do this four week course which im sure it sounds better than four days ,if you can sit for four weeks then when you have done it try registering with a couple of agencys,obviously you must drive and 99% of these agencys will take you on but you will need a couple of decent references to prove you do have the ability and youll probably find yourself on a council refurb project or a newbuild somewhere but you must be prepared to travel and they pay by the hour ,in my area its roughly £14 sheets an hour which isnt bad but i think you have to do a certain amount of meterage per day i.e 10 meters per day or something along them lines ,if you want some numbers for some agencys thats no probs kiddo

L & R Ceramics

Great advice mate I take it you need a CSCS to take this route

 

[Concept PHT]

These days, yes you do. You will need a recognised qualification for this.

 

[Concept PHT]

or enrolled on one to complete within 12 months, like an NVQ.

 

[L & R CERAMICS]

this cscs thing is a load of codswallop but i do see why they are doing it ,as for people asking for it youll probably find its not really essential at the moment ,you can still get on sites without it ,its the health and safety one that youll probably need first ,it costs about £35 notes for the test and then the card ,some companies will even put you through this test and then take the dough back out of your wages,so i wouldnt really worry about it