Roof tiler
Construction trade installing terracotta, concrete and metal roof tiles, plus associated waterproofing and flashing.
Jobs, demand and who does this work
Figures for the ANZSCO occupation Roof Tiler (333311), the closest official match for roof tiler, from Your Career (Jobs and Skills Australia data, sourced 2026-09-23).
- People employed
- 9,400
- Future demand
- Stable
- Work full-time
- 86%
- Average full-time hours
- 42 a week
- Women
- 4%
- Median age
- 34
Where the jobs are (share of workers)
| NSW | 32.1% |
| VIC | 16.4% |
| QLD | 35.4% |
| WA | 6.4% |
| SA | 4.4% |
| TAS | 1.4% |
| ACT | 2.6% |
| NT | 1.4% |
Highest qualification held by workers
| Postgraduate qualification | 0.4% |
| Bachelor degree | 1.6% |
| Diploma or advanced diploma | 1.9% |
| Certificate I-IV | 50.6% |
| Year 12 | 14.2% |
| Below Year 12 | 28.1% |
What a roof tiler actually does
Roof tiling is some of the heaviest physical work in the trades. Most days start 6 or 6:30am to get tiles up before the worst of the heat. A typical residential job runs in two phases: a sarking and batten day, then 2-3 days of tile lay. Battens and sarking go on with a nail gun. Once that's done, the day is a constant cycle of carrying tile bundles (each weighing 25-30 kg) up onto the roof, splitting them across the roof plane, and laying course by course up the rafters. Ridge capping and verge tiles go on with mortar bedding and pointing compound. Most rooves take a 2-3 person crew about a week. Falls from height are the biggest risk - harnesses, edge protection and fall-arrest are standard. Weather drives the day: rain stops work entirely (wet tiles are dangerous), heat shifts the day earlier. Most days finish 2-3pm in summer. The body takes punishment - knees, back, shoulders and skin all wear down over the years. Pay is good but the trade rarely runs past 50 years old on the tools.
Skills you'll use
- Reading roof plans and pitches
- Installing sarking, battens and underlay
- Setting out and gauging tiles up the slope
- Cutting tiles for valleys, hips and verges
- Mortar bedding and pointing for ridges
- Lead and tile flashing around penetrations
- Working at heights with harness and edge protection
How to become one
- 1Finish Year 10 with English
- 2Get a White Card (CPCWHS1001) and a working-at-heights ticket
- 3Sign a 3-year apprenticeship with a roof tiling contractor or builder
- 4Complete the CPC30820 Certificate III in Roof Tiling through TAFE
- 5Build experience across terracotta, concrete and slate tiles
- 6In QLD - apply for the QBCC trade contractor licence above the threshold
Where you can work
- Residential builders on new estates
- Re-roofing and restoration specialists
- Insurance hail and storm damage contractors
- Heritage and slate roofing firms
- Strata and body-corporate maintenance teams
- Self-employed crew owner with 2-3 staff
Career progression
Typical stages and roles. Apprentice and tradesperson pay is set by the modern award or enterprise agreement that covers the job; check it with the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool.
- Apprentice3 yearsTypical roles: First-year apprentice roof tiler, Third-year apprentice roof tiler
- Tradesperson0-4 yearsTypical roles: Residential roof tiler, Repair and re-roofing specialist
- Leading hand or crew boss5-10 yearsTypical roles: Leading hand, Crew boss, Site supervisor
- Subcontractor or business owner8+ yearsTypical roles: Subcontract roofing crew owner, Heritage and slate specialist
Is this for you?
You might love this if
- You have no fear of heights
- You're strong and can carry weight up ladders all day
- You can tolerate sun, heat and exposed positions for hours
- You enjoy outdoor physical work with a clear daily output
- You can work steadily as part of a small crew
This might not suit you if
- You have a fear of heights or vertigo
- You can't commit to 3 years of apprentice pay
- Your back, knees or shoulders are unreliable
- You can't tolerate extreme weather (heat, cold, wind)
Entry requirements
- Year 10 or equivalent
- A signed apprenticeship training contract with a host employer.
State licensing
Not nationally licensed. Some states impose contractor licensing once work exceeds a value threshold.
| State | Licensing authority |
|---|---|
| NSW | Building Commission NSW (contractor licence for residential work over $5,000) |
| VIC | No trade-specific licence listed |
| QLD | Queensland Building and Construction Commission (above $3,300) |
| SA | No trade-specific licence listed |
| WA | No trade-specific licence listed |
| TAS | No trade-specific licence listed |
| NT | No trade-specific licence listed |
| ACT | No trade-specific licence listed |