Well-trained Brick Masons will have the best chance of obtaining employment. Most Brick Masons work in the construction industry. A few are employed in the metal products manufacturing industry and install and repair industrial kilns and furnaces. Fringe benefits include vacation, retirement, and health and welfare coverage. The regular workweek is 35 to 40 hours, Monday through Friday.
Pay is higher for overtime, night shifts, and for unusually hazardous work.
While metropolitan areas are largely union, smaller communities have a number of non-union Brick Masons. Construction activity is sensitive to cyclical changes in the economy. Therefore, annual earnings for bricklayers working in construction are lower than what the comparatively high hourly wage rates would imply. Income can vary from year to year. Many Brick Masons get their skills informally by working as helpers or hod carriers and by observing and learning from experienced workers.