Apprentices also learn to work with stone and concrete. This enables them to be certified to work with more than one masonry material. Applicants for apprenticeships must be at least 17 years old and in good physical condition. A high school education is preferable, and courses in mathematics, mechanical drawing, and shop are helpful. The International Masonry Institute operates training centers in several large cities that help jobseekers develop the skills they will need to successfully complete the formal apprenticeship program.
Experienced workers can advance to supervisory positions or become estimators.
They also can open contracting businesses of their own. Job Outlook Employment of bricklayers and stonemasons is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2005. Population and business growth will create a need for new factories, schools, hospitals, offices, and other structures. Also stimulating demand will be the increasing use of brick for decorative work on building fronts and in lobbies and foyers. Brick exteriors continue to be very popular as the trend continues toward more durable exterior materials requiring less maintenance.