Get an NVQ in Tile Fixing

Tile Industry Training Plan

The Tile Association Training Plan was created in collaboration with Construction Skills. It was launched to implement training in the wall and floor tiling industry in Britain in order to provide a qualified wall and floor tiling workforce.

The qualifications are based on the nationally recognised NVQs/SVQs and training is based on on-site training utilising existing informal training provision alongside more formal training from colleges and training centres to fill training gaps. Training grants will be available to participating companies.

There is a National Wall and Floor Tiling Training Manager There are also 25 associated training centres all of which are listed on the TTA website in the directory under training.

There is a National Wall and Floor Tiling Training Manager There are also 19 associated training centres all of which are listed on the TTA website in the directory under training.

Training Centres

The Construction Skills National Specialists Centre at East Leake, Leicestershire, has been accredited by City & Guilds as an Assessment Centre to deliver wall and floor tiling NVQ's at levels 2 and 3. This centre forms the hub of the training programme and although the majority of training and assessing takes place on site there are 25 other Associated Training Centres across the UK. To find your nearest centre click here.

The Numbers are Growing

Currently there are over 700 tiling trainees on various TTA/CITB training schemes. They are mostly training on-site but are linked to the 25 colleges across the UK.

There is also an Intermediate Construction Award for the unemployed or those on Government initiatives. Unlike the NVQ's these people are training in college rather than on site.

The Tile Association Training Plan delivers value to customers in quality of workmanship and it delivers value to employers by reducing waste, limiting the effect of unqualified competition and avoiding complaints and litigation.

A clear training and skills standard gives building professionals and householders another reason to prefer a TTA fixer and forms an effective barrier to the "cowboys".

Click here to find out about the launch of this plan

Skillbuild

The Tile Association is very pleased to be associated with Skillbuild, the national competition for a number of building trades. The competition is open to young trainees who are at colleges around the United Kingdom.

Regional competitions are held at colleges in Spring/Summer and the national final at a building college is held in October annually.

On average, there are six young tile fixers who compete over a 3 day period, and have to undertake a tiling project that will test their skills to the limit. The fixers are given a drawing which they must reproduce in tiles on walls and floors. Judging takes place after the competition has closed, and the winner is announced at a gala evening.

As well as the competition, local schools are invited to visit the competition and most trades, including The Tile Association, give visitors the chance to have a go.

The photos on this page of the website show some of the young tilers who have taken part in the national final.