Wall and Floor Tilers

ANZSCO ID 3334

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
17,300
Future Growth
-6.7%
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
73%
Female Share
2%
Average age
37

Summary

Wall and Floor Tilers lay ceramic, clay, slate, marble and glass tiles on external and internal walls and floors to provide protective and decorative finishes.

Specialisations: Ceramic Tiler, Mosaic Tiler.

Formal qualifications are not essential to work as a Wall and Floor Tiler. Although some workers have a certificate III in wall and floor tiling.

Tasks

  • examining plans, measuring and marking surfaces and laying out work

  • preparing wall and floor surfaces by removing old tiles, grout and adhesive, filling holes and cracks, and cleaning surfaces

  • spreading adhesive onto prepared surfaces and tiles, and setting tiles in position

  • using tile-cutting tools to cut and shape tiles needed for edges and corners, and around objects such as fittings and pipes

  • ensuring tiles are correctly aligned and spaced

  • grouting tiles, and cleaning and removing excess grout

  • applying waterproofing systems

  • may lay floors of granolithic, terrazzo, cement or similar composition

  • may lay coloured tiles in patterns to create mosaics

Characteristics

Job Type
Technicians And Trades Workers
Skill Level
Medium skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
  • Administrative
Physical Demand
  • Medium
  • Heavy

Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:

  • is expected to decline
  • is likely to reach 16,600 by 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.

Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.

Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.

Projected Change
-6.7%
(or -1,200 jobs)
From
17,800
in 2021
To
16,600
in 2026

Number of Workers

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Year Employment
2011 15,900
2012 17,000
2013 14,400
2014 21,500
2015 24,200
2016 25,800
2017 24,100
2018 20,400
2019 18,700
2020 20,000
2021 17,800
2026 16,600

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 76% of people employed as Wall and Floor Tilers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 10 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 43 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    More than a third of workers regularly work overtime or extra hours (either paid or unpaid).

    Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Overtime hours: ABS, Characteristics of Employment, 2021.


Industries

Main industries

1
Construction
96.3%
2
Retail Trade
1.0%
3
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
1.0%
4
Manufacturing
0.5%
5
Other industries
0.5%
  • Most Wall and Floor Tilers work in the Construction industry.

    Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2021.


Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

30.8% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

21.2% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

23.1% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

7.5% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

13.9% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

0.8% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.9% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.8% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Wall and Floor Tilers All Jobs Average
NSW 30.8 31.6
VIC 21.2 25.6
QLD 23.1 20.0
SA 7.5 7.0
WA 13.9 10.8
TAS 0.8 2.0
NT 0.9 1.0
ACT 1.8 1.9


  • Around 62% of Wall and Floor Tilers live in capital cities, similar to the all jobs average of 62%.

    Queensland and Western Australia have a large share of employment relative to their population size.

    The regions with the largest share of workers are:

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
37
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
2%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Wall and Floor Tilers is 37 years. This is similar to the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.

    Females make up 2% of the workforce. This is 46 percentage points below the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Wall and Floor Tilers All Jobs Average
15-19 3.7 5.0
20-24 10.3 9.3
25-34 28.9 22.9
35-44 26.1 22.0
45-54 19.1 21.6
55-59 6.2 9.0
60-64 3.8 6.0
65 and Over 1.9 4.2
Median Age 37 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

Formal qualifications are not essential to work as a Wall and Floor Tiler. Although some workers have a certificate III in wall and floor tiling.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Construction, Plumbing and Services VET training pathways.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Wall and Floor Tilers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 0.4 10.1
Bachelor degree 3.4 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 3.9 11.6
Certificate III/IV 53.3 21.1
Year 12 15.5 18.1
Year 11 3.7 4.8
Year 10 and below 19.8 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.


Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Wall and Floor Tilers who are reliable, work well in a team and hardworking.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 46%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 45%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 45%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 39%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 39%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 39%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 39%

    Operation monitoring

    Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

  • 39%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 39%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 39%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 37%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 37%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 37%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 37%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 36%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 36%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 36%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 36%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 34%

    Quality control analysis

    Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.

  • 34%

    Management of personnel resources

    Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 48%

    Technical design

    Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

  • 46%

    Building and construction

    Materials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.

  • 41%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 41%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 40%

    Mechanical

    Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • 36%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 35%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 35%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 30%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 28%

    Transportation

    Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.

  • 25%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 24%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 23%

    Engineering and technology

    Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.

  • 22%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • 20%

    Chemistry

    Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.

  • 18%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 13%

    Physics

    The physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.

  • 12%

    Communications and media

    Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.

  • 12%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.

  • 8%

    Telecommunications

    Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 52%

    Extent flexibility

    Bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

  • 52%

    Visualization

    Imagine how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

  • 50%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 48%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 48%

    Trunk strength

    Use your abdominal and lower back muscles a number of times without 'giving out' or fatiguing.

  • 46%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 46%

    Static strength

    Lift, push, pull, or carry things.

  • 45%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 43%

    Control precision

    Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

  • 43%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 43%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 43%

    Manual dexterity

    Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

  • 41%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 41%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 41%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 41%

    Multilimb coordination

    Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.

  • 41%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 37%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 37%

    Stamina

    Exercise for a long time without getting winded or out of breath.

  • 36%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 85%

    Handling and moving objects

    Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.

  • 75%

    Doing physically active work

    Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.

  • 62%

    Thinking creatively

    Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.

  • 61%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 57%

    Controlling equipment or machines

    Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).

  • 56%

    Drafting, laying out, and specifying parts

    Detailing and describing how devices, parts or equipment are to be made, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.

  • 55%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

  • 54%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 54%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 52%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 51%

    Communicating with the public

    Giving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 50%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 50%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 49%

    Checking for errors or defects

    Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.

  • 49%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

    Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.

  • 48%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 48%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

  • 47%

    Coming up with systems and processes

    Deciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.

  • 46%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 42%

    Coordinating the work of a team

    Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.


Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 100%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 67%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 52%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 38%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 24%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 19%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 67%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 62%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.

  • 50%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 48%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

  • 33%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.

  • 29%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 91%

    Kneeling, crouching, stooping, or crawling

    Spend time kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling.

  • 91%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 89%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 88%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

    Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.

  • 86%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 84%

    Bending or twisting your body

    Spend time bending or twisting your body.

  • 84%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 83%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 83%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 82%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 81%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 80%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

    Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.

  • 80%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 80%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

    Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.

  • 77%

    Cramped work space

    Work in an awkward position or in cramped work spaces.

  • 76%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 76%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 75%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

  • 73%

    Dangerous equipment

    Work near dangerous equipment like saws, machinery with open moving parts, or moving traffic.

  • 72%

    Indoors, not heat controlled

    Work indoors without heating or cooling (e.g., warehouse without heat).

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 47-2044.00 - Tile and Marble Setters.


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