Tilesetters
Career Overview
Tilesetters:
- Cover interior and exterior walls, floors and ceilings with ceramic, marble and quarry tile, mosaics or terrazzo
- Work for construction companies and masonry contractors
- May be self-employed
Job Titles
Duties
Tilesetters perform some or all of the following duties:
- Prepare, measure and mark surface to be covered
- Build underbeds and install anchor bolts, wires and brackets
- Mix, apply and spread mortar, cement, mastic, glue or other adhesives using hand trowel
- Set tiles in position and apply pressure to affix tiles to base
- Align and straighten tile using levels, squares and straightedges
- Cut and fit tiles around obstacles and openings using hand and power cutting tools
- Pack grout into joints between tiles and remove excess grout
- Install tile strips
- Lay and set mosaic tiles to create decorative wall, mural and floor designs
- Mix, lay and polish terra surfaces
- Cut, polish and install marble and granite
- Remove and replace cracked or damaged tiles
- May prepare cost estimates and orders
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
1,765% Employed Full Time
42%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work takes place in an indoor environment where temperatures may vary.
- Work also takes place outdoors, so workers may be exposed to various weather conditions.
- Working with equipment, machinery or power/hand tools may be a source of injury.
- Workers may be exposed to chemicals that could pose health risks.
- Airborne particles, such as sand and dust, may be present in the workplace.
Career Pathways
Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
In provinces where there is no apprenticeship, this trade is usually learned through several years of on-the-job training.
Red Seal trade certification allows for movement between provinces.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a three- or four-year apprenticeship program, or
- A combination of over three years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in tilesetting is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.
- Trade certification for tilesetters is compulsory in Quebec and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified tilesetters upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
For more information please see SkilledTradesBC's website at https://skilledtradesbc.ca.
Tilesetters who are certified for that occupation by a regulator elsewhere in Canada can apply for the same certification from the regulator in B.C. Under the terms of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most applicants who are transferring their credentials from elsewhere in Canada will not be required to complete additional training or testing. However, the B.C. regulator may ask applicants to provide further information such as a letter of good standing, references, or criminal record check.
For those who trained outside of Canada and never received certification from any Canadian jurisdiction, a full assessment is likely needed. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants.
Contact SkilledTradesBC for details on how to apply for certification in B.C.
For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca.
View a list of Professional Regulatory Authorities in B.C.
Trades training resources
Visit our trades training page at www.workbc.ca/trades to learn about apprenticeship and trades training in B.C.
Education programs in B.C.
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
1,765Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 15 | 0.9% |
| Kootenay | 20 | 1.1% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,205 | 68.5% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 0 | 0.0% |
| Northeast | 0 | 0.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 250 | 14.2% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 260 | 14.8% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
810Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 10 | 1.5% |
| Kootenay | Not available | Not available |
| Mainland/Southwest | 600 | 2.0% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 130 | 1.3% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 70 | 0.3% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Construction | 810 |
Resources
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British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA)www.bccassn.com
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Canada Masonry Design Centre (CMDC)www.canadamasonrydesigncentre.com/
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Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA)www.chba.ca
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Canadian Masonry Contractors Association (CMCA)canadianmasonrycontractors.com
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Careers in Constructionwww.careersinconstruction.ca
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Skilled Trades Employment Program (STEP)www.stepbc.ca
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Trades Training BCwww.tradestrainingbc.ca
