Brickmasons and blockmasons are responsible for the aesthetically pleasing facades of buildings that fill cities and towns the world over. They use bricks and structural stone blocks to construct and polish residential and commercial walls as well as patios, decorative trim work and interior structures.

Both require a high school education plus extensive training and on-the-job apprenticeship programs. Masons must be able to follow detailed building instructions, break or cut brick and stone to the proper sizes, mix and apply mortar and grout, assemble and finish the required structures. "Brickmasons work mainly with veneer and structural brick. Blockmasons do the structural work," says Al Herndon, northern apprenticeship representative for the Florida Masonry Apprentice and Education Foundation.

On commercial jobs, the line between the distinct crafts of brickmasons and blockmasons has been blurred. "When you get to commercial work, brickmasons and blockmasons do the same thing," Herndon says. "It’s not two crafts anymore; it’s blended into one." Most masons are men, but there are women in the field, he says, adding: "We find that our female masons tend to become very proficient in detail work."

Large housing projects and commercial projects may take two or more years to complete, while residential work tends to involve shorter jobs. Blockmasons, who often assemble key internal support structures for buildings, face more workplace regulation from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, coupled with expansive instructions from project architects and engineers.

In their careers, masons often work for union and nonunion contractors. They can work in local markets but may also travel to find work, especially when local work is scarce or not available. "You can go anywhere the job goes," Herndon says. "There are crews that travel and crews that work in the local area. If you’re a traveling mason, you probably do make a little extra money." The most experienced masons are skilled in working with all forms of structural material, including brick, block, stone, glass and synthetics.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 0.5% employment growth for brickmasons and blockmasons between 2022 and 2032. In that period, an estimated 300 jobs should open up.

In addition to on-the-job training, brickmasons and blockmasons can acquire valuable skills from training programs at technical colleges. Many complete rigorous apprenticeship programs, where they learn about safety practices, building codes, how to read blueprints and more.

Apprenticeship experience often sets the stage for a prosperous masonry career. "Apprentices usually come to us when they’re between about 21 to 24 years of age," Herndon says. "They’ve been out of high school for a few years and have discovered that they need a career and not just a job. The guys who go through the apprenticeship program tend to become the foremen and the superintendents, and they tend to go on and become owners (of masonry contracting companies)."