Nvq Tiling Courses

[Tile Shop]

After my first proper attempt before the xmas break, I grant you it wasn't great, but I quite enjoyed tiling.

I work in Customer Service with my main emphasis on specing, CADing tiling projects, answering technical queries and liaising with the more brainy technical departments of BAL, Schluter, Mapei blah-de-blah etc etc to name but a few.

I joined this forum to gain some extra knowledge but am now thinking that I should take this one step further. I've been promised by the bosses at W&F that I will spend time with an experienced tiler, go on training courses with our suppliers etc. But as of yet (through no fault of theirs) it hasn't yet been possible. So I'm going to fork out of my own pocket to go on a multi-weekend NVQ Tiling course and claim the money back (hopefully) and do it alongside my current job. Not only because it will help me in my current role, but also opens up more possibilities and maybe a new career later in the future.

So I'm reaching out to people who have done these courses before or anyone who has any knowledge of them, who can advise me how helpful these courses really are. I know I'll get a qualification at the end of it, but how much "real" experience will I gain? Is it like passing your driving test and then really learning to drive once you're out on your own? or are the courses enough on their own to get you started in a new career or help me to verbally advise people "how to"?

Also regarding the CSCS cards. The NVQ levels available are 2, 3 and 4+ and also grant you either a blue, gold or black card at the end. Whats the difference between the different level courses and the cards?

Any input gratefully received.

 

[MTiler]

As I have a CSCS Skilled Worker Blue Card for site work do I still need to do the CITB H&S Awareness course?
I ask as a Contractor I often work for sent out a email to his employees and subbies saying we need to do the course for site work as its been asked for, but as we all do different work we're all gonna have different cards, if any.
Looking into it the course sites say its the first step to a Labourers Green card.

cheers
Sharon

 

[smudger85]

Good evening to all.

I've been working with a tiler,full time for just over 3 years now. Love my job and we are very busy with a variety of jobs from Kia show rooms to Victorian hall ways etc
The chap I work with doesn't have any qualifications as such (eg nvq2/3 or city &guilds) but does have 17 years experience.
He says I don't need nvq's etc but I would just like to get a few other opinions really.
Id like to learn as much as I can and want to be taught right. I want to do things properly so I can legitimately call myself a professional tiler at some point.

Any feed back would be great

Thanks Danny

 

[White Room]

If you wanted to go on site as a skilled worker you would need an nvq to get the blue card plus a cscs for H&S which is required on all sites.

Do you have a cscs card working for the guy your with now ?

 

[smudger85]

Thanks for the reply
No I don't have a cscs card as we never do site work with the exception of the Kia garage. We just work for small builders really who do a few houses at a time and big extensions. With a few domestics thrown in for good measure.

 

[White Room]

Thanks for the reply
No I don't have a cscs card as we never do site work with the exception of the Kia garage. We just work for small builders really who do a few houses at a time and big extensions. With a few domestics thrown in for good measure.

One day you may want to do bigger site works rather than just builders then an nvq would be required.

 

[The D]

An NVQ is not something that is going to teach you anything that is the tilers job the NVQ is a record of your capability. when you sign up for your NVQ you will start to build a portfolio of your work for the assessor. The tiler you work with can be your verifier and you can just work through the NVQ criteria ticking of each unit as you go. If there is a paticuler unit or task you don't do much of then you can attend college to get the relevent training but you must then put it into practis in a live situation as simulated evidence is not permitted on the NVQ. All you are doing on an NVQ is gathering evidence that tiling is what you do.

 

[smudger85]

Thanks for the reply @deanotile i think able skills in dartford is the closest place to me from where I live so I'll look into it. Thanks again