How to become a wall and floor tiler in Australia
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.
The all-jobs median is $1,852 a week. Jobs in the wall and floor tilers group are projected to grow 6.4% between May 2025 and May 2035, slower than the 13.3% projected for all jobs. Projections are indicative, not forecasts, and JSA says they don't yet reflect generative AI.
What the job involves
- 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
How to get there
What it usually takes. A Certificate III or IV, including at least two years of on-the-job training where it is a Certificate III. This is the skill level Jobs and Skills Australia gives the wall and floor tilers group, and some roles differ.
What people in the job have. Highest qualification held: 5% a degree or higher, 5% a diploma, 50% a Certificate III or IV.
Apprenticeship or traineeship. This job isn't on the current Priority List we checked, which only covers occupations in demand, so that doesn't rule one out. Ask a TAFE or an Apprentice Connect provider.
Many jobs also need registration, a licence or a specific accredited course. Check the professional body or regulator before you choose.
Courses that can lead here
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We haven't matched this job to courses in the admissions lists. It usually starts with training on the job or at a registered training provider, not a course through an admissions centre. See Your Career.
Does it fit your interests?
Strongest interest areas for this kind of work: Realistic, Conventional, Artistic.
From O*NET ratings for "Tile and Stone Setters", the closest US occupation in JSA's correspondence (a good match). US ratings are a guide to Australian jobs, not a measurement of them.
Careers with similar interests
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Share your storyJob data: © Commonwealth of Australia, Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profiles, February 2026 and Employment Projections, May 2025 to May 2035 (Victoria University), CC BY 4.0. Jobs and Skills Australia, ANZSCO 2013 Version 1.2 to O*NET-SOC 2019 Taxonomy correspondence.
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