Taking a Tile Course Online - Learning the trade of tile setting via the Internet

[johnfrwhipple]

There are many people I follow online closely that help me stay current and help me with my monthly projects. I find following the work of the industry's top people you get to stay current and ahead of the traditional learning curve. I was very pleased to find the other day an online University that teaches course on tile setting and shower construction. The course is designed by one of the industries top men - Donato Pompo

I asked Donato about his courses (specifically the water/vapour management side) the other day and here is what he said;

John, The Understanding the Basics of Ceramic Tile course and the Understanding the Basics of Natural Stone course both have sections on waterproofing. Both courses have been Canadianized for TTMAC www.ttmac.com. We are working on a shower course that will have a section on steam rooms, but it won't be ready until later next year. I do have an article on "How to Specify and Build Fail Proof Showers" that will cover steam rooms coming out in February 2013 in The Construction Specifier.

I have been training my apprentice now for three plus years. He has yet to install a single project or any waterproofing measures for a shower or wet room floor by himself. I have shared with him all my pointers and company rules but I have never given him a general background on tile and tile selection. I think this course from Donato would be an excellent overview and I'm sure we will learn a thing or two taking it. Every chance we get we train and re-train. Mapei locally in Vancouver continues to raise the bar at a supplier level and not a month goes by we are not invited to learn about something new from them.

If you do not have a strong understanding of shower construction there are few venues you can go for qualified instruction. As a member of the NTCA I have signed myself up to take part and get certified in the NTCA's 5STAR certification program. This is a no brainer and I hope I pass the test - It's hands on. I have grown used to working with my apprentices and in doing the 5STAR course will be working alone - I assume this means I need to cut and polish my own tile, and carry all the gear! lol Oh well, I'll suck it up and see how I do.

Through the NTCA, TTMAC and my LinkdIn groups I keep finding posts by Donato - posts that make sense and really feed my hunger for detailed explanation. I have not taken the course as yet but thought I would share a link to Donato's web page if anyone is researching the subject.

We will take it and I will share the verdict at a later date.

The course is $150.00 per student. $300.00 for two. A small price to pay to be trained by one of the smartest brains in the industry.

http://www.uofcts.org/online-courses/ceramic-tile/


Update: I passed!

[nestork]

Or, you can register on this web site:

http://www.ontariotile.com

which is owned and operated by Harry Dunbar, who's a tile setting contractor in Barrie, Ontario that specializes in showers. Harry has a DIY Q&A forum on his web site for newbies to ask questions and get advice as they construct and tile their own showers.

And Harry doesn't charge a dime for his time.

The problem with any kind of DIY TV program or course is that you learn what they teach you, but when it comes time to do it yourself in your own house, you discover that things aren't the same as they were in the TV program, and you're uncertain as to if and how that changes the gameplan you've been taught.

If you have a digital camera, you can get onto any DIY tiling web site, like Harry's or John Bridge's and post pictures there of your situation so that any experienced tile setter can tell you what your options are in that situation.

If Donato Pompo is widely recognized as "one of the industry's top men", why don't I see him earning extra money for himself by endorsing products for Mapei, Flextile, Custom Building Products, etc. just like Bob Villa and others did? (Not saying Bob Villa knows squat, but he's smart enough to milk a cow when he sees one.)

[dlarrivee]

Nestork John Whipple isn't a weekend warrior looking to build his first shower, your point is moot.

[hj]

quote; The course is $150.00 per student. $300.00 for two.

I guess that is better than $325.00 for two. And I suppose it is $450.00 for three.

[johnfrwhipple]

This guy Donato is a consultant and investigator. I have seen many pictures of failed showers in many settings. Most failures shared with me are commercial projects like Hotels and such and the reason the showers failed is always different. But with a common theme - that theme is installer error......

Learning how bad it can go can help you learn what steps or products to avoid. I took the "Why Shower Waterproofing Fails" presentation from Noble Company a few months back via Go To Meetings with my apprentice and Dean the head sales guys from Noble. Lots of failures shown in this presentation.

I believe Donata is a little "Old School" in his designs and recommendations. $300.00 to take a course with my apprentice is a good thing. I'm told that here in Vancouver and across Canada Ames Tile and Stone had all their employees take the course. What's funny about this is that in 12 years never once has Ames Bros recommended me as an installer. Last month I did a Kitchen Renovation and ask the lady how she found me. She told me that she bought her tile at Ames Bros and they recommended calling someone from the TTMAC. The course Donata has prepared is getting tweaked to follow the TTMAC which is a hair different than the TCNA specifications.

I think that all tile show room staff should take a course like this.

Getting answers online for free is great but learning from masters is "Priceless"....

There is a lot of garbage advice on John Bridge's site and the Ontario Tile site. How do you know what is right and what is wrong? Someone serious about being in the tile industry should join the NTCA and/or the TTMAC - that is the best start. Then any and all training course should be taken to keep current. Something like this course is only icing on the cake. If you have a really big job go South on you the chances are someone from the NTCA or TTMAC is going to investigate it. If the process shows a failure do to installer error you are pretty screwed - now if you install by the book and learn from the those teaching us why these failures happen you improve the odds of this never happening to you.

Again. $300.00 for two is a small price to pay. I believe course like these can also help with insurance claims. My insurance rep is always asking me what training we are taking and what training my staff get. We record these courses in our journals to prove we continue to train and learn with each passing month.

Then there is the sales angle on the sales call.

Make sure your tile crew.....

1) Is a member of the NTCA or TTMAC
2) Has insurance
3) Has workers compensation
4) Has formal tile training

With every sales call I go on these points are driven home. People looking to hire a Pro should no the difference between "Pro" and "Joe"

JW

If you want to get a hold of Donato his contact information is here;

Donato Pompo CTC CMR CSI CDT MBA
Ceramic Tile And Stone Consultants, Inc.
PO Box 965
Jamul, CA 91935-0965
Tel: 619-669-2967
Fax: 619-669-2968

E-mail: Donato@CTaSC.com
Web: www.CTaSC.com

[johnfrwhipple]

Started the course today and must say it is very well laid out.

I was surprised to see a pre-quizz before the first section and a little miffed that I only got a 66% score. With a few cups of coffee in me I did much better on the second section and aced the pre-quizz. The class is well done and like being in a real school. The slides are discussed and include some animated graphics.

So far so good.

JW

[Donato Pompo]

there are volume discounts if you pre-purchase 10 or more tuitions, which is listed on the campus site at www.UofCTS.org. TTMAC and CTDA offer special discounts to their members if you buy the courses through them.

[johnfrwhipple]

Donato I'm a TTMAC member. Can I register me and my apprentice through TTMAC or just me?

It would be fun if you made a 100 question quiz men and women in the industry could take to check out their "Tile I.Q." - Maybe if more people tried these quiz's of yours they would realize the shear amount of knowledge that is needed to get things right. It bugged me all day today I did so bad in the first pre-quiz. I will not answer the next series of questions so quickly in the other sections of your course.

I'm a little nervous as well for the Five Star NTCA tile course. I have grown used to working with my apprentice and have to complete this test solo. That said I want to see if I make he grade or if I need more schooling!

JW

[Donato Pompo]

I am not a Retail or DYI type of guy, I am a professional consultant, although we do consult with many of the companies you mention. Just to give you a little of my background. I grew up in a family tile business. Was in the union as an installer early on. After being drafted in army 82nd Airborne I went to college and I have a biochemistry education with a mba. Spent 17 years in family tile and stone importing and distribution company that I managed. Spent 7 years as sales manager at Laticrete. Have been a forensic investigator, quality control consultant, and trainer for over 12 years. Currently I sit on ASTM C18 Stone, ANSI A108, ISO TC189, CTIOA and MIA committees, and participate in TCNA Handbook committee and NTCA Technical committee. Have been a Certified Ceramic Tile Consultant through CTIOA since 1979. I am a ACAC Council-Certified Microbial Remediator. I am a certified Construction Document Technician through CSI. If you go to my website at www.CTaSC.com you can see the list of many articles, presentations, and courses that I have authored. I create and produce the TTMAC online training courses. And I love our industry and what to see it prosper...

The UofCTS course isn't DYI. It is a course for professional installers to learn industry standards. Industry consensus groups create standards to help others avoid problems. Problems are negative advertising for our industry and affect the lively hoods of all of us. If the installers are not aware of the industry standards then how can they avoid these know problems? The course is not meant to teach mechanic skills. Passing the course is not an indication the person has the skill set or will do good work. It simply is verification that they learned and understand the current industry standards. You can watch a 6 minute video preview of the courses at www.UofCTS.org.