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Trades & Construction

How to become a Brick Mason

From no experience: every step, how long it takes, and the credential it earns.

Time to get there
2–4 years
Typical pay
$46k–$68k
Starting from
No experience

Pay is an estimate of typical US entry-level pay for this role and varies by state, employer and shift. The timeline assumes you are starting from no experience and includes any licence or programme legally required, not just course length.

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The route

  1. Start as a mason tender

    Mixing, hauling and setting up scaffold. It is how you learn the pace of a wall.

    Typical titles at this level

    • Mason tender
    • Hod carrier
  2. Learn to lay to the line

    Level, plumb and consistent joints, over and over. Speed comes years later.

    Course that covers thisWoodworking & Carpentry Masterclass: Beginner To AdvancedUdemy · around $19.99
  3. Complete an apprenticeship or on-the-job progression

    Union locals run 3-year programs; non-union you progress by proving output.

  4. Specialise

    Restoration, stone and firebrick work pay well above standard block laying.

  5. Destination

    Brick Mason

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