Brick Mason Laborer Duties

by Fred Decker
Brick masons build walls and other structures from bricks or blocks.

Brick masons build walls and other structures from bricks or blocks.

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The construction industry employs workers at various skill levels, from untrained laborers to skilled tradesmen. For example, construction of a brick wall or building might require the efforts of brick masons, apprentice masons and brick mason helpers. Although all three are involved in the physical labor of laying brick, their skills and roles vary substantially.

The Brick Mason

The brick mason is a skilled and experienced tradesperson who is able to work without supervision and who can provide supervision to less-skilled workers. Masons can read blueprints and lay out patterns or foundations for less-skilled tradespeople to work from. They're also well-versed in local building codes and appropriate workplace safety procedures. They create walls and other structures by cutting and placing bricks, blocks or similar materials in suitable patterns, for either aesthetic or structural purposes. They use grout to create rigid bonds between bricks, or flexible grout in areas where a joint must be able to expand and contract.

The Apprentice

The skilled trades depend heavily on physical dexterity and skills, which can't be taught adequately from books. Formal apprenticeships are the most common way to pass these skills to a new generation of tradespeople, including brick masons. Apprentices work full-time under the supervision of a licensed mason, learning job skills through experience and the mason's example. Most apprenticeships for bricklayers last three to four years. Apprentices must work at least 2,000 hours during each calendar year, and attend at least 144 hours of classroom training. Most brick mason apprenticeships finish with a practical test of the new mason's skills. Those who pass achieve journey-level status.

The Mason's Helper

Although the brick mason is a highly skilled tradesperson, not all of the job's duties require a great level of skill. Many masons use helpers to perform the job's routine chores, freeing the mason and his apprentices for actual brick laying. The mason's helper might be responsible for transporting bricks to the work area, and from there to the scaffold where the mason is working. They may mix grout and transport it to the work area, and cut bricks as needed for corners, arches and complex patterns. A helper's duties often overlap with an apprentice's, and some helpers go on to apprentice and become brick masons in their own right.

The Career

The construction industry is cyclical, with demand increasing and decreasing with the overall health of the economy. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 60 percent employment growth for brick mason helpers between 2010 and 2020, and 41 percent for brick and block masons. Those rates are much higher than the 14 percent average for all occupations. As of May 2012, the BLS reported an average wage of $31,110 a year for masons' helpers, with the top 10 percent earning $46,920 a year or more. For masons, the average was $50,370 a year, and the top 10 percent earned $77,950 a year or more. Apprentices usually begin at half the prevailing journey-level wage, with a raise each year until they become journey level.

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