Wall and Floor Tiler and Stonemasons
Note: Completion of a TAFE SA course does not guarantee an employment outcome. Formal requirements other than educational qualifications (eg licensing, professional registration), may apply to some occupations.
| Job Prospects |
Job prospects for wall and floor tilers are good and expected to grow moderately to 2014-15 |
| Salary Range |
$25,000 to $40,000 plus |
| Brief |
Wall and Floor tilers transform unfinished walls and floors, often in bathrooms and kitchens, sometimes turning them into stylish mosaic masterpieces.
There are currently around 1,610 wall and floor tilers and stonemasons employed in South Australia. Employment is largely full-time and most work in the construction industry. Most persons in this occupation are male and most are employed in the Adelaide metropolitan area. This occupation has a slightly younger age profile with less than a third of workers aged 45 years or older. |
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Introduction
Wall and Floor tilers lay a variety of tiles in new and existing homes and commercial properties. Tiles are laid to provide both a protective and decorative finish. Customers can choose from a range of materials including ceramic, terracotta, granite, glass, marble and slate tiles. Kitchens, bathrooms, and balconies traditionally feature wall and floor tiles, as do the surrounds and increasingly the lining of swimming pools. Tackling tiling once a customer has accepted a quote to undertake the job, the tiler can get down to business. The area being tiled first has to be measured. You can become a self employed wall and floor tiler, or choose to work for someone else.
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Education Requirements
While some people enter this trade by working as an assistant and learning their skills on the job, there are 60% who have Certificate III or Certificate IV and 37% have no post school qualification.
TAFE SA offer the following courses to help you find employment in this occupation; Certificate I in Construction; Certificate II in Construction Pathways (Specialising in Bricklaying, Tiling and Plastering); Certificate I in Furnishing (Specialising in Floor Covering); and Certificate IV Building and Construction.
Still unsure? Then enrol in a short course also offered through TAFE SA such as Wall and Floor Tiling. For further information about these and related courses go to the TAFE SA website http://www.tafe.sa.edu.au.
Career Path
Most Wall and Floor tilers are self employed or work for small, privately owned tiling businesses that undertake contract building work. Some find employment with tile manufacturers. They usually work alone or in small teams and move from location to location. Employment in the building and construction industry fluctuates. Currently it is experiencing moderate levels of activity, which in turn impacts on the demand for this trade. According to the Housing Industry Association of SA, apprenticeships are competitive but once you've completed the apprenticeship, this is a job with good long term prospects and excellent remuneration. There is always a need for well trained wall and floor tilers.
Industry
Construction
Nature of the Job
If I was tiling a bathroom for instance, the customer may want the floor and shower recess tiled, some skirting or the floor and ceiling border tiled. These areas have to be measured so I can tell the customer how many metres of tiles will be needed. ''In some cases, customers have already purchased tiles, in which case the Wall and Floor tiler would get straight to work preparing surfaces and laying the tiles. A job not to be rushed is a job well done when tiling an existing home, wall and floor tilers prepare the surfaces by removing any old tiles, grout, cement and adhesive. Any holes and cracks are filled to create a smooth, even surface. The surface must be cleaned a final time before tiling can commence. Of course, this whole stage can be skipped when tiling a new home - where the surfaces are usually already in good condition. But in a new home, the tiler often has to build a 'brick-up' around the bath and waterproof the shower recesses before tiling these areas.
Typical Physical Working Environment
The length of time needed to complete a job varies on the size and intricacy of the job. Some jobs take a few days while the more complicated ones can take up to several weeks. Big tiling jobs and those where tiles need to be laid on an angle, or ones that require many tiled borders, take longer. A wall and floor tiler's job is made easier by minimising the number of tiles that they need to cut so that they fit properly. Using a tile cutter and special pliers, tiles are cut to fit tricky areas, such as around edges, corners, or around obstacles such as taps and pipes. Wall and floor tilers also use a mixing drill for mixing cement, a spirit level for levelling out freshly laid floors and a plastic float to flatten out the floor. The tiler attaches the tiles to the surface using a suitable adhesive. Tilers must keep an eye on patterned tiles to make sure that they match.
Typical Occupational Example
A good tiling job relies on good measurement skills and an eye for detail, and the ability to work neatly. Wall and floor tilers often work in confined areas, which requires bending and kneeling. They also lift and carry cement and stacks of tiles, so a reasonable level of fitness is needed. Tilers may need to work at heights, which means working from ladders and scaffolding, so you can't be clumsy or too afraid of heights!
For further information, contact:
Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union - Construction and General Division (SA)
First Floor Trades Hall 11-16 South Tce Adelaide SA 5000
Ph: (08) 8231 5532
Fax: (08) 8231 3822
Email: cfmeusacg@yahoo.com
Internet Address: http://www.cfmeu.com/construction/states/sa
Construction Industry Training Board SA
5 Greenhill Rd Wayville SA 5034
Ph: (08) 8172 9506
Fax: (08) 8172 9501
Email: citb@citb.org.au
Internet Address: http://www.citb.org.au
Master Builders Association of South Australia Inc
47 South Tce Adelaide SA 5000
Ph: (08) 8211 7466
Fax: (08) 8231 5240
Email: buildsa@mbasa.com.au
Internet Address: http://www.mbasa.com.au
Earning Potential
The starting salary is about $25,000 per year and this may go to $40,000 and above. Wall and floor tilers work an average 42.7 hours per week and the majority of their work is on a full time basis.
Further Information
For further information about all TAFE SA Courses, phone 1800 882 661 or enquire online