TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT CLOSING THE GAP
We shine the spotlight on how Topps Tiles is sponsoring apprenticeships at two regional colleges in a bid to save the future of tiling.
The skill gap in tiling is widening at a worrying rate, having been in decline for years, thanks to a reduction in training funding and an ageing workforce. The Skills Training Group have reported that the workforce fell by nearly 34% between 2004 and 2020, all leading to fresh new talent being urgently needed in the tiling industry. To cause further disruption, the government ceased funding of the Level 2 Wall & Floor Tiling Diplomas in 2022, halting progression routes for full-time students.
There are only a handful of colleges left in the UK that support the tiling industry with dedicated tiling courses like Leeds College of Building and South & City College Birmingham. In lieu of funding for other training, both colleges now focus on apprenticeships (Level 2 Wall & Floor Standard) which are completed over two years whilst in employment.
Steve Connell, Leeds College of Building Assistant Principal and former tiling professional, said: “Very few colleges in England still offer wall and floor tiling training. More and more students are travelling to us from as far away as Northumberland to Lincolnshire. From working in people’s houses to industrial projects, it is crucial that students and apprentices learn and understand safe systems of work and can produce high-quality finishes. The training of new, young tilers is essential if we are to keep the trade alive.”
Here, John Shaw, Topps Tiles’ Learning and Development 28
Manager, shares his thoughts on the importance of getting involved in the education of trainee tilers. “Not only are trade customers a huge part of our business at Topps Tiles but we also feel a duty towards our retail customers to uphold the tiling industry to allow them to employ high-quality tilers in a timely manner for their home projects, something that is being increasingly difficult to do,” he said.
“With this in mind, we are delighted to be sponsoring the apprenticeships at both South & City College Birmingham and Leeds College of Building, pulling all our expertise together to help reignite the tiling industry in the UK and protect its future.
“Our goal is to unite apprentices with our best tilers, hoping to attract both young students willing to learn as well as imparting the everyday wisdom of top-quality tilers, with experience on the job, into fresh talent. We’re working closely with both colleges to ensure the apprenticeship programme is not only sustainable to continue year after year and be an aspirational qualification to gain, but also accessible to as many people as possible whilst being best in class.
“We’re also committed to providing essential materials for the colleges, such as tiles, trims and tools for the students to work with during their course as well as a ‘starter kit’ to put their newly acquired skills into practise away from the training room. And of course, leverage the reach of our two
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