tiling course

[oddjob]

Hi my name is keith I am 47 years old I have been a screen printer for thirty years I am being made redundant in april and am looking at changing my career by doing a for week city and guilds course in tiling. I have done floor and wall tiling in my own home and have had many positive comments one by a tiler by trade. what I want to know is there the work out there for a tiler? will my age go against me if I want to work with a tiling company? Am I wasting my money on the course. Thank you for any replies.

 

[White Room]

Hi and welcome

Do they do a weeks CG course ???

For some it is quiet at the moment.

 

[nybor62]

its the lack of experience that will go against you , imo

 

[Dan]

Hey OddJob. 47 aint old. It's all about the experience. Plus, I always used to say, a bit of grey hair in a company always sells over and above the young cold-caller type guy.

It will be all about the experience, but then the quality of work you can provide. It's not often about time, so never rush (or take on a job that needs rushing) a job, and just spend time getting it right. Speed always comes with time, as it does with anything. But skill comes with practice. As you probably know. Feel like I'm teaching somebody to suck eggs here, I'm only 21. :lol:

 

[Del W]

:welcome:

 

[kgbviktor]

Hi Mate,
As above,its that experience thing again-its not just tiling,HGV,FLT driving etc are all going the same way-no experience-no work.The only option for a lot of new trainee's is to go self employed.A point to bare in mind is that the market is awash with new trades people,all with a few weeks training under their belts and zero real work experience.You only have to look at the various training sponsors on this forum.Ableskills,NETT,Chase etc are all banging x amount of tilers,plasterers,plumbers out onto a saturated domestic market.Yes, a few will have the skills,determination,drive to make it,the rest will go under.I think you should have a serious think about this before parting with your money.Ask family,friends+drinking mates if they would give you any work if you were already trained.I don't want to put you off,just do a lot of research in the area where you intend to set up your business.

 

[UKTT Darren]

Anything is posible to achieve if you have the commitment and desire to do it, as for the work out there again there is plenty of work if you put the effort in to go and find it, it doesnt come to you.
Learn how to do the job correctly, start off with some easy straight forward jobs, take your time, get them right and build from there. You wont get a city and guilds on a weeks course as they take a lot longer than that for that qual, i wouldnt let your age put you off, 47 aint that old, more mature and wise than old, you'll be fine, just take the plunge and see where it leads you, the 400 quid or so for the course will not be lost as you can allways get your money back by doing the odd tiling job here and there even if you dont do it full time
Regards
Darren

 

[oddjob]

Thank you to everyone that has taken the trouble to reply. The course I am looking at is a four week city and guilds. I made an error in my typing in my first message.

 

[oddjob]

Hi thank you for your reply. I meant to write a four week tiling course, Just a typing mistake. I appreciate your comments.

 

[Max@ableskills]

Hello oddjob and welcome. A four week course will give you excellent knowledge and understanding of the tiling industry. As already stated speed will come with experience but what is more important than speed is quality of work. Good luck with your course

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Personally I'd use the 30 years experience in your own trade to set up a business for yourself.
Age isn't the issue here - its the time it will take for you you reach the level of skill/business that will provide an income to be able to enjoy tiling as a trade.
Look at combing the two - screen printing on tiles/cup etc - and see if there is a market for personalised/coporate marketing products.
Good luck and Welcome.

 

[carlito]

Hi. I have just started an nvq also and i am 38 this time. I think it is about ones capacity to learn and desire to aquire the experience which will get us through. It's a tough time start anything but it is also time where we can get experience we otherwise wouldn't have got.

Good luck! and i'm right behind you!