Tiling Qualification Routes from Able Skills

1 - Tiling Qualification Route

If you do not have any underpinning Tiling training or qualifications, we recommend the following to get you started in the industry:-

Able Skills 6 Week Tiling training

These 6 weeks of professional Tiling training will provide you with the skills and the confidence to take on Tiling work either on an employed or self employed basis. The course will teach you tiling from scratch, moving you onwards through an advanced course, a City & Guilds unit accreditation, Natural Stone, Tanking and floor screeding and finishes with a final assessment to determine just how good you are. The knowledge and skills gained can act as underpinning knowledge and can be used to guide you on through the NVQ process once you are working within the industry.

Able Skills 8 Week Tiling training

These8 weeks of Tiling training cover the same course content as the 6 week Tiling course but the additional 2 weeks cover NVQ training including portfolio building, Plastering and Geometric Tiling as these are specific units of the NVQ or EWPA.
This training option will incorporate NVQ registration and you will also receive a candidate work evidence pack which will guide you through the entire NVQ process.

CAA Wall & Floor Tiling Diploma

This course is suitable for people who are not at this moment working in the Tiling industry and who would like to obtain a qualification to work towards becoming a professional Tiler.

The Level 2 Diploma in Tiling is designed to develop your skills and knowledge, enabling you to work in the Tiling industry. The Diploma has been specifically developed for delivery in a training environment using simulated conditions, and the assessment is based on you showing what you can do as an individual through the completion of all the requirements of the qualification.

The Units you must complete to achieve this Level 2 Tiling Diploma are:

1. Know how to carry out safe working practices
2. Carry out safe working practices
3. Knowledge of information, quantities and communicating with
4. others 2
5. Information, quantities and communicating with others 2
6. Knowledge of building methods and construction technology 2
7. Building methods and construction technology 2
8. Know how to prepare backgrounds for tiling
9. Prepare backgrounds for tiling
10. Know how to tile floor surfaces
11. Tile floor surfaces
12. Know how to tile wall surfaces
13. Tile wall surfaces

 Further information can be obtained by visiting our Tiling Diploma page

2 - NVQ Route

NVQs are an excellent achievement as they confirm that you are competent in your chosen trade and other areas associated with your work; this is why NVQs cannot be obtained without experience. In order to start you on the route to NVQ, underpinning knowledge received via a training course is essential. Training for at least 6 weeks will definitely prepare you for the reality of all tiling projects within properties, old and new.

With time comes experience and competence and as you progress in time and you gain an acceptable level of competence, you can be building your portfolio of evidence for your Able Skills NVQ assessor to assess. These qualifications (NVQs) focus on practical skills and knowledge relating to Tiling, health & safety, PPE etc.

Developed and approved by people who work in the industry, they are a great way to get into construction or to boost your career by developing new skills and knowledge through the assessment of work based competence recorded in a portfolio.

An alternative to Distance Portfolio Evidence is OSAT:

On Site Assessment and Training.

As an NVQ approved assessment centre, Able Skills can offer NVQ on site assessment (OSAT) to those of you who have underpinning qualifications or who have spent some time working within the industry and who have reached a level of competence which falls in line with NVQ code of practice. We have our own Assessors and Internal Verifiers, all of whom are City & Guilds and CAA approved. As long as you are working within the Tiling Industry, we can come and assess you on site.

NVQ Assessment process

To obtain a full NVQ it is a requirement that you are working as a Tiler.

The NVQ process will start with an interview between you and your assessor whereby an action plan and timetable will be drawn up. You will be required to gather and record evidence as indicated on your assessment plan.

Following your initial interview, dependant upon which NVQ route you prefer, we will either arrange visits to your place of work where we will also examine and discuss the evidence you have provided.

Or

We will allow you to produce your own evidence portfolio backed up by witness testimonies, customer statements, job references etc. Evidence which proves your competence in Tiling and which can be checked is what we are looking for.
An assessor will sign off completed units where sufficient quality and quantity has been provided. Any shortfalls of evidence will be discussed and any training requirements identified. In between visits, you will continue to generate further evidence.

You will be assessed on the following competencies:

VR01     Conform to General Workplace Safety
VR02     Conform to Efficient Work Practices
VR03     Move and Handle Resources
VR141   Prepare Backgrounds for tiling
VR142   Tile Wall and Floor Surfaces

There is no time scale on achieving an NVQ. If your line of work allows, NVQs can be achieved in a relatively short space of time however, if the work you are doing is restricted or repetitive, the NVQ process can take longer because the opportunity to meet all of the required NVQ units will not be available to you.

3 - The Experienced Worker Practical Assessment (EWPA)

This is a fast route open through the CAA-ConstructionSkills / City & Guilds awarding body. It is available for workers with a minimum of five years experience and who don’t need any further training.

It involves spending a short time having your skills and knowledge assessed at Able Skills Construction Training Centre. This can sometimes be done at weekends.

All the skills needed to pass the NVQ are included in one task, which is observed by our approved Tiling assessor.

The 4 Steps of EWPA – Your fast track route to a Tiling NVQ

Step 1: Upon contacting Able Skills, we will arrange a profiling appointment for you and make recommendations of the kind of information and evidence you may wish to bring along to support your application as an experienced Tiler.

Step 2: At your profiling appointment our Tiling assessor will introduce you to the process and make an initial assessment to ensure you are suitable to qualify through this method. They will look over any items of ‘evidence’ you may have with you, evidence you provide can be in a written form, such as witness statements from customers or supervisors worked with in the past, or it can take the form of photographs of your work, site plans, qualifications or proof of employment. If there is insufficient evidence but it is clear that you are a competent Tiler, you will be advised of what additional evidence is required. You will also be required to sit a health & safety test for your CSCS card if you haven’t done so already.

Step 3: Once all of the required portfolio evidence is complete, you will undertake a practical assessment of your skills which will be observed by our Tiling assessor. This will be followed by a recorded professional discussion to assess your knowledge of Tiling; we will aim to complete this process over a period of 2 days which can be weekends.

Step 4: If you are successful, you will receive your full, Experienced Worker CSCS card and your NVQ certificate. If you do not pass the assessment all is not lost: the work you have done can still count towards your qualification through OSAT.