Wall and floor tiler
Career outlook for wall and floor tiler
Average UK salary
£27,040
Currently employed in Scotland
2,500
"LMI for All" supplies our salary and employment status information. "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures. Due to COVID-19 the jobs market is constantly changing. Some of the information may not reflect the current situation.
What's it like?
You would cover walls or floors with tiles in places such as kitchens, bathrooms, shops, hotels and restaurants. Your work would make rooms more attractive and pleasant to be in, as well as protecting their surfaces against water damage.
You would:
- Mark out areas and choose the right amount of tiles and paste
- Repair or remove old surfaces
- Cut tiles using different tools
- Prepare surfaces with plaster, sand or cement
- Fix tiles and apply grout
- Buy materials and look after budgets
- Talk to customers about their ideas
You would learn to work with many materials including ceramics, glass, terracotta, stone, granite and marble.
It's also possible to specialise in a particular field, for example swimming pools or mosaic walls.
Working conditions
Hours
Environment
Travel
UK employment status
Full-time
32%
Part-time
0%
Self employed
68%
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- Verbal communication
- Creative
- Designing
- Working with numbers
- Observation
- Attention to detail
- Developing a plan
- Implementing ideas
- Managing resources
- Time management
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Qualifications
You would do a Modern Apprenticeship leading to a relevant Scottish Vocational Qualifications in Wall and Floor Tiling (SVQ level 3) and registration with the Scottish Building Apprenticeship Training Council (SBATC).
Usually there are no formal qualifications required to enter this apprenticeship but most employers value a good general education. You usually have to take an aptitude test as part of the entry process.
Useful subjects
- Maths (required by many courses and employers)
- Practical technologies subjects (required by many courses and employers)
- English
- Science subjects
You will also need
You must hold a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent safety passport to train and work on site. You must pass a health and safety test to qualify for this scheme.
Some employers would expect you to have some experience working as a labourer.
Helpful to have
Qualifications and experience that show practical skills such as Skills for Work Construction Crafts (SCQF level 4/5).
A driving licence can be useful.