Bricklayer

Typical Salary

£17,000 To £40,000

Typical Hours

42 to 44 a week

between 8am and 6pm away from home

How To Become a Bricklayer

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role

College / University

You can take a college course like a:

Level 1 Certificate in Construction Skills
Level 2 Diploma in Bricklaying
Level 2 Diploma in Trowel Occupations

2 or fewer GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 (D to G), or equivalent, for a level 1 course

2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

Apprenticeship

The following apprenticeship may be relevant to this role:

Level 2 Bricklayer

some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

You could start as a construction site labourer and take training on the job to become a bricklayer.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

knowledge of building and construction
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
the ability to work well with others
to be flexible and open to change
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
the ability to work well with your hands
physical skills like strength, balance and coordination
the ability to organise your time and workload
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

In your day-to-day tasks you could:

measure work areas and set out the first rows of bricks or blocks
mix mortar by hand or with a mechanical mixer
apply mortar with a trowel and lay bricks on top of each other
shape and trim bricks using hammers, chisels and power tools
check that rows are straight using a spirit level and plumb line

Working Environment

You could work on a construction site.

Your working environment may be physically demanding, outdoors in all weathers, at height and you'll travel often.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

Career Path & Progression

With experience, you could become a construction site supervisor, or move into related areas like estimating or apprentice training.

You could also specialise in heritage work, stonemasonry, or set up your own business.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Registration

you'll need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent to train and work on a construction site

Professional and industry bodies

You can join an organisation like the Federation of Master Builders for professional recognition and training opportunities.

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a bricklayer from Go Construct and House Building Careers.

Restrictions & Requirements

Restrictions & Requirements are not listed for this job.