Tilers are in the business of covering surfaces with tiles, and are employed across household jobs as one of the finishing touches to certain rooms, but especially kitchens and bathrooms, as well as in big construction projects and shops.
There’s also specialist work doing things like swimming pools, or restoring mosaics to their former glory, and outdoor tiles in gardens are becoming more and more common. You’ll need to have a mind that works in a design sense, as well as a practical nature, if you’re to succeed in the role.
Salary & benefits
As a trainee, you could expect a salary of up to £14,000 per year, although this can rise up to £23,000 once you’re qualified and again up to £30,000 once you’ve established yourself in the profession and are then training people yourself or supervising bigger projects.
Tiling firms are in demand and therefore those that run the firms are those making the big money in the industry. Overtime, special jobs and bespoke projects can all lead to extra pay for a tiler.
Working hours
You would be expected to work between 35 and 45 hours a week, depending on the amount of projects on the go at any given time and how close you are to contractual deadlines.
However, overtime is paid for any work outside of the normal hours, which can lead to substantial wage bonuses. Some work may take place in the evenings and weekends, especially if an important project is close to its due date.
Entry
There are no stringent requirements to enter the profession, and many tillers begin as labourers before taking up a tiling apprenticeship. Many firms take on apprentices from scratch, so your best bet might be applying directly to a firm you wish to work for.
Alternatively, there are courses at various colleges which will help you get a grasp of the industry basics, and once you have completed any of these, you’d stand a great chance of being picked up by an appropriate company.
Training & progression
Once you have begun working, you’ll learn a lot on the job and most of your training will be hands on and learning as you go. However, there are further qualifications which will enable you to learn the more bespoke parts of the job, especially with mosaic design which requires extremely competent design skills.
For those who do not want to take the time out to attend college, there’s also the option to do on-site workshops, which can also be counted towards a qualification within the industry. With more and more jobs being full-time, these are an increasingly popular choice in the construction world.