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Stonemason

Alternative titles for this job include

Stonemasons carve blocks of stone, and lay and fit stonework into place on construction projects.

Average salary (a year)

£15,000 Starter

to

£35,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

43 to 45 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends occasionally

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become a stonemason

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role

College

You could take a college course, which would teach you some of the skills needed to get a trainee job with a building company. Courses include:

  • Level 1 Certificate in Construction Skills
  • Level 2 Diploma in Craft Masonry
  • Level 3 Diploma in Stonemasonry - Banker (Construction)

Entry requirements

You may need:

  • 2 or fewer GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 (D to G), or equivalent, for a level 1 course
  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

More Information

Apprenticeship

You could do a stonemason intermediate apprenticeship.

This apprenticeship has pathways for different types of stonemasonry work, for example:

  • interior stone fixing, often used for floors, wet rooms and kitchens
  • memorial stonemasonry
  • exterior stone fixing on buildings and structures
  • heritage stonemasonry for conserving historic memorials and buildings

This typically takes 24 months to complete as a mix of workplace learning and off-the-job study.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

More Information

Work

You could start as a construction labourer and take further training with your employer to get a qualification in stonemasonry.

More Information

Registration

Career tips

You can do specialist training courses if you're interested in heritage and conservation skills in stonemasonry.

Further information

You'll find more on careers in stonemasonry from Go Construct and the Stone Federation.

You can also get details about stonemasonry carving skills from the Crafts Council.

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • knowledge of building and construction
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • knowledge of maths
  • physical skills like movement, coordination and dexterity
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work well with others
  • ambition and a desire to succeed
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

You’ll be working with materials like sandstone, limestone, slate, marble and granite. In your day-to-day duties you may:

  • build stone walls or fit cladding using mortar and specialist fixings
  • repair damaged stonework on old buildings and monuments
  • carve or repair statues or memorial headstones
  • make and fit stonework like window frames, archways and ornamental garden pieces

Working environment

You could work on a construction site or in a workshop.

Your working environment may be at height, outdoors some of the time, dusty, noisy and physically demanding.

You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could progress to supervisory jobs like site supervisor or clerk of works.

You could also set up your own stonemasonry business.

You could also move into a related area, like estimating and construction management.

With further training, you could work as a stonemason or bricklaying instructor at a further education college or training centre.

Find out more about teaching in further education from Teach in further education.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

Apprentice Stonemason

  • Wage: £14,650.00 Annually
  • Location: Gillan Way, Penrith 40 Business Park, Penrith

Apprentice Stonemason

  • Wage: £13,312.00 Annually
  • Location: WENSLEY ROAD, LEYBURN
Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

Diploma Level 3 Stonemasonry

  • Provider: MOULTON COLLEGE
  • Start date: 09 September 2024
  • Location: Northampton

Diploma Level 2 Stonemasonry

  • Provider: MOULTON COLLEGE
  • Start date: 09 September 2024
  • Location: Northampton
Find courses near you

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