Is manual labor anything that interests you?How well-conditioned are you?Could you use instruments that need precision?If you answered yes, maybe you might consider becoming a bricklayer.
When building or repairing walls, arches, chimneys, and fireplaces, bricklayers must lay bricks, concrete blocks, stone, and other similar materials in precise patterns and alignment according to designs and requirements. The Brick and Blocklaying Careers may include putting in firebrick in large industrial and commercial furnaces. In pulp mills, you may also encounter acid brick and tile.Bricklayers may work as independent contractors for building firms, or they can choose to run their own businesses.
Duties of a Bricklayer
In this role, you may be responsible for doing the following.
• Using bricks, stones, or other similar materials to construct chimneys, fireplaces, patios, walls, and pathways in a home or business setting.
• Installing a fire brick lining in factory smokestacks.
• Bricks may be trimmed and cut using both manual and electric equipment.
• Acid-resistant brick lining for use in relining or initially lining furnaces and boilers
• Maintenance of preexisting brick buildings by washing and repainting
• Recognizing and understanding schematics and drawings
The Working Environment
Bricklayers often put about 40 hours each week. Overtime is often required during busy seasons in the construction industry. The construction industry is notoriously unpredictable when it comes to scheduling, so the amount of overtime hours you’ll have to put in each week will change with each new project.
You will spend a lot of time working outside as a bricklayer, often on scaffolding. In cold or wet weather, bricklayers may occasionally utilize temporary shelters and portable heaters. Your job will be strenuous physically, and you may have to travel to other locations. You will be part of a team consisting of other construction experts on several projects.
To be successful in any construction-related profession, you must always put your own well-being first. Bricklayers are required to follow safety procedures and use protective gear to avoid harm on the job.
The Apprenticeship Training and Certification Program
Beginning a career in building requires a variety of skills, and a Bricklayer apprenticeship program is one of them. To become a qualified Bricklayer, known as a journeyperson, you must complete both classroom instruction and on-the-job training.An apprentice’s pay is determined by the number of hours they put in on the job. Your starting wage will be about half of what a journeyman makes per hour, rising steadily during your apprenticeship to the full amount.
Participating In an Apprenticeship
Bricklaying apprenticeship programs have varying entry requirements. You need to be 16 years old and finished high school normally. Taking some time to learn English and arithmetic might be quite useful.For high school students interested in a future as a Bricklayer, there are secondary school apprenticeship programs available in several provinces and territories.
Conclusion
Bricklayer apprenticeship programs typically last three years and require 1,600 hours of work-based instruction, three blocks of eight weeks of classroom instruction, and a final test before a degree is awarded.There are ways to speed up the apprenticeship process, such as having relevant job experience or having completed a bricklaying program at a college or technical school.
