A bricklayer provides the fundamentals of any construction project, bricks and mortar and a bricklaying career is one of the most dependable and in-demand trades in the sector, which is currently booming. So let’s take a look at what a bricklayer actually does and where your career as a bricklayer can take you.
Working as a Bricklayer
A bricklayer’s job is to build, repair or modify the built environment using building materials. Working with other trades, you will construct walls, stairwells, archwars, chimneys and much more. A bricklayer’s job is very different for each particular project, but just some of the responsibilities that you would have would include:
- Working with brick, precast concrete, concrete blocks and other masonry materials
- Understanding plans and schematics for the layout and dimensions of any construction
- Ensuring that structures are finished to specification and are level and properly finished
- Working with labourers, under the direction of a foreperson, to ensure that the materials used are correctly prepared and allocated
- Restoring existing brick structures and repairing where possible
- Modifying bricks or other building materials for usage
- Have an excellent knowledge of health and safety protocols and have a valid SafePass
Career Trajectory
With bricklaying careers having such an overall impact on construction projects and sites, they will be involved with many different roles and trades, throughout the site. Just some of these would be:
- Construction labourer
- Site manager
- Architect
- Tiler
- Estimator
- Electrician
- Roofer
- Structural Engineer
- Civil Engineer
- Purchaser
- Site Manager
- QA/QC Engineer
Professional Qualifications
One of the most common routes is via apprenticeships, where trainee bricklayers learn the role ‘on the job’ with a bricklaying firm and also study for their recognised qualification in college over 7 phases of work and college based education. Once you have established yourself as a bricklayer, you can apply for membership of bodies such as the National Guild of Master Craftsmen in Ireland and become involved in the Construction Industry Federation. Due to innovation within this sector, constant training and upskilling in new methodologies, materials and equipment is advised if you are to have a successful career as a bricklayer.
How your Career can Develop
As a bricklayer you can choose to specialise in particular areas during your career, so you will need to upskill and earn any necessary certifications. You can specialise in areas such as domestic or residential construction, industrial construction firms, construction contractors, exterior construction or civil engineering projects. Ultimately you can build up your own client base and start your own building services or contracting business or work with large firms or contractors that would require your services as a bricklayer