NVQ 8 Week Tiling Course

Able Skills has devised an 8 week tiling package which incorporates a variety of our tiling courses which will cover various Tiling techniques to prepare you for the Tiling industry and progression to NVQ.

This tiling course will cover standard domestic tiling requirements but will also incorporate techniques to deal with wet rooms and showers and additionally, geometric tiling for the purposes of specialist or decorative projects.

We also feel that you would benefit from having a very good understanding of how to prepare all backgrounds before tiling and so we have also incorporated plastering and rendering training.

Able Skills dedicated Tiling Training Centre has the facilities in place to teach basic, precision and complex tiling techniques, so much so that we are confident that if you look to commit to 8 weeks with us, we will have you tiling to extreme complexity.

We are confident that our staff and facilities can get you to undertake the most difficult of tasks with total confidence. 

This 8 week tiling course will take you through all the stages of tiling, gradually building your skills from that of a novice to a competent Tiler with the skills to undertake any tiling project.

We are looking to cover as much about Tiling and everything associated with it as we can; preparing you for every eventual scenario you may come up against.

Our instructors are all time served, qualified Tilers but also have the added advantage of having teaching and assessing qualifications. This ensures that the standard and quality of training will be the best that you can have and that you will have the benefit of being taught by the best that there is.

Able Skills instructors are keen to pass on their knowledge and have themselves developed this package as they feel that these areas of training will be the most beneficial for your future career as a Tiler.

As you progress through the stages of this course, we will cover aspects of tiling as basic as the use of standard 6” white ceramic tiles, right through to tiling with mosaics and eventually laying something as complex as Victorian pathways.

There will be a huge emphasis throughout on cleanliness, health and safety and PPE and we will also demonstrate how to quote for jobs and how to place orders for materials etc. All of this additional course information will prove to be very useful if and when you decide to enhance your skills and undertake the NVQ process.

With 8 weeks of constant tiling under your belt you will be ready for anything. The atmosphere at Able Skills Tiling Training Centre is fantastic and encouraging. The busyness of the Centre can reflect reality very well and this adds to the Centres appeal.

You will be able to witness all areas of tiling being undertaken around you and having committed to an 8 week package, you will be able to see exactly what is in store for you.

You will not find training to this extent and quality anywhere else in the Country. We are completely geared up for 2010 and with our approval as an NVQ assessment Centre; we can also help you gain the qualifications which states that you are a competent, qualified and professional Tiler.

Throughout your training we recommend suitable clothing and for your own safety, protective footwear is essential. We will provide all tools and materials throughout the 8 weeks which will include RUBI tiling tools to learn with.

Week 1

Week 1 will teach you tiling basics, starting from scratch you will learn how to tile both wall and floor areas and gain a complete understanding of the requirements for any area you are planning to tile.

•    Setting out your tiling work.
•    Explaining all the different adhesives used for different surfaces.
•    Demonstrating all the tools required.
•    Cutting tiles using wet tile cutters, dry tile cutters, tile scribes, tile snips and tile saws.
•    Explaining tiling involving Borders, Diamonds and Patterns.
•    How to cut around windows and reveals.
•    How to cope with tiling difficult areas such as uneven walls.
•    How to tile angled ceilings and socket areas.
•    How to tile splash-backs.
•    How to tile around boxed in pipes.

You will work in an area equipped with sanitary ware so you will learn how to cut around obstacles such as WCs and pedestals using quality tools such as RUBI cutters. You will also be shown how to grout and finish to a high standard and how to use silicone sealants.

Week 2

Week 2 is an advanced training week, providing you with the skills to tackle more complex areas and giving you the opportunity to build on your speed, technique and confidence.

•    How to prepare a quote
•    How to cope with more difficult obstacles such as pipes for shower attachments and toilet wastes
•    Tiling behind existing sink pedestals
•    Behind radiators
•    Tiling around sockets
•    Building speed and precision
•    Incorporating different materials including mosaics
•    Patterns including diamond pattern
•    Correct procedure to remove and replace damaged existing tiles with new tiles
•    Estimate tile quantities required for each individual job
•    Explain and demonstrate how to lay and fit under-floor heating

Week 3

Week 3 is an assessment of your skills for which successful candidates will receive a City & Guilds certificate and portfolio detailing the work done. This can be very useful to show prospective clients when you are providing quotes or tenders.

Practical activities will enable the candidate to:

•    Prepare floor and wall to receive tiles.
•    Fix Straight edge and check for level.
•    Apply adhesives.
•    Fix tiles.
•    Apply Grouting.
•    Clean tools, equipment.

Underpinning knowledge will enable the candidate to:

•    State the health & safety implications of using powdered materials and ready mixed adhesives.
•    State the need for use of PPE and SSOW
•    Give reasons for levels and straight edges.
•    Identify types of tiles.
•    Give reasons for grouting.
•    Give reasons for gaps when applying tiles.
•    State the need for a clean and tidy work area.

Week 4

This week of tiling training will teach you how to tile with 4” x 4” Natural Tumbled Marble and 12” x 12” Natural Slate. You will learn how to seal natural stone, understand required adhesives and be aware of how to enhance the stones natural features.

During this course we will cover:

•    How to prepare the wall and floor areas to receive natural stone products
•    Measure areas to calculate quantities required
•    Prep areas
•    Select and grade natural stone products
•    How to overcome the uneven thickness of the tile when laying it onto a floor.
•    Mix appropriate adhesives
•    Cutting the stone where necessary
•    Ensuring (with your instructors help) that you are working to a domestic and commercial standard of finish whilst also working clean and safe.
•    Receive a demonstration on how and why you need to seal the products prior to grouting
•    Seal the tiled area
•    Grout your completed installation
•    Clean as necessary prior to applying a necessary 2nd coat of seal

Week 5

Week 5 takes you briefly away from tiling to concentrate on aspects of preparation. We will cover Waterproofing requirements for Wet rooms etc and Floor Screeding so that even the most uneven of floors can be prepared to receive tiles.

Floor Screeding

We will take you through floor screeding on new or alteration contracts to include:

•    Calculating the quantities of materials required
•    Gauging and mixing of screeding materials
•    Transferring datum levels
•    Preparing background areas, brushed and bonded
•    Positioning screeding battens/screeds
•    Laying and finishing floor screeds level and to falls
•    Incorporating drainage inlets

Waterproofing / Tanking

We will show you how to apply specified tanking systems to these wet areas (prior to tiling) which will extinguish any doubt and ensure a tiled installation which will not fail.

We will go through the procedure of applying tanking systems from start to finish so that when you have completed your course at Able Skills you will be capable of tiling in wet areas with confidence.

You will also tile the area after having completed the tanking system so that you can see the finished article.

Week 6

During this week you will work to a specification in a fully fitted kitchen or bathroom area. You will come across all of the problems a professional Tiler comes across when undertaking various jobs. You will be expected to complete the project with little supervision, demonstrating everything you have learned in the previous 5 weeks.

You will be assessed on your completed work and the assessment will also be based upon your ability to:

•    calculate materials required to complete the job,
•    the attention paid to working cleanly,
•    working methodically and
•    your awareness of health and safety.

We will be looking to ensure that you have produced a finished product that any paying customer would be happy with.

Week 7 - Preparing backgrounds

If you want to be able to offer a full and valuable service you will need to appreciate that not all tiling surfaces are ready for you to tile on. As a result, we have incorporated some plastering and rendering training into this package.

This will enhance your portfolio of skills and ensure that you do not need to call in and rely on anyone else to complete that particular job. In the allocated week you will learn

1.    Health & Safety and PPE
2.    To cut and fix plaster board to walls and ceilings.
3.    To tape standard and internal joints.
4.    To cut and fix angle beads around windows and reveals.
5.    To prepare surfaces before plastering using bonding plaster and finishing plaster, ensuring a flat finished surface ready for decorating.
6.    To mix plastering materials.
7.    To skim walls.
8.    To skim ceilings.
9.    To apply PVA adhesive Unibond to existing surfaces.

Week 8 - Geometrical Tiling

There may be times in your career as a tiler whereby you will be asked to undertake specialist tiling projects. It may be that someone has an older property and they would like a Victorian path or hallway laid or it may be that the property has arched areas which require tiling.

To help you through these unusual requests, we will dedicate a week to supporting you through complex tiling with intricate cuts to produce beautiful finishes and work which you can be proud of.

We are also able to offer you RUBI tiling tools with a competitive discount should you want tools to start work with immediately.

Progression to NVQ

Throughout the 8 weeks you will be building a portfolio containing photographic evidence and certificates and once you have completed this intensive, hands on Tiling training, you will then be industry ready which is where you need to be in order to achieve an NVQ.

To achieve the NVQ you must be registered with an NVQ Assessment Centre and Able Skills will register you under our Centre, as part of this package.

To finish this training experience, we will provide you with a start up portfolio which will include all of the evidence and assessment sheets ready for you to use as and when you gather your work based evidence.

We will also continually support you throughout the process and if you choose, we will check your portfolio evidence to ensure that you are on the right track. We will be looking for you to gain photographic evidence of work you are undertaking along with quotes, drawings, estimates, job references and letters from customers relating to the work you have undertaken.

This ongoing evidence and information will be encouraging as you witness the improvement in your abilities and it also enables you to see your own progression. When and if work based assessments are required, we will arrange for our Assessors to visit you at your place of work.

If you complete all of the NVQ units required and have provided evidence of this, Able Skills own Assessors and Internal Verifiers will make a decision on the portfolios completeness and eligibility for an NVQ.

We offer training at Weekends if you have work or other commitments through the week. We aim to make our training as accessible as possible to everyone

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