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
- you'll need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent to train and work on a construction site
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 more details about stonemasonary craft skills from the Crafts Council.