Bricklayers

ANZSCO ID 331111

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
19,300
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
77%
Female Share
1%
Average age
38

Summary

Bricklayers lay bricks, pre-cut stone and other types of building blocks in mortar to construct and repair walls, partitions, arches and other structures.

Specialisations: Chimney Builder, Refractory Bricklayer, Retort Setter (Bricklaying), Tuckpointer.

A certificate III in bricklaying/blocklaying is usually needed to work as a Bricklayer. This course is often completed as part of an apprenticeship.

Tasks

  • Studies plans and specifications to determine materials required, dimensions and installation procedures.

  • Erects scaffolding.

  • Seals foundations with damp resistant materials and spreads layers of mortar to serve as base and binder for blocks, using trowels.

  • Lays bricks in rows, designs and shapes, and spreads mortar between the joints.

  • Embeds blocks in mortar and removes excess mortar.

  • Checks vertical and horizontal alignment.

  • Cuts, shapes, and polishes stones and bricks using machines and hand tools, and shapes bricks to fit irregular spaces.

  • Repairs and maintains bricks, cement blocks and related structures.

Characteristics

Job Type
Technicians And Trades Workers
Skill Level
Medium skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
n/a
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
  • Analytical
  • Administrative
Physical Demand
  • Medium
  • Heavy

Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. Employment projections data are only produced for occupations at the broad four digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level. While data are not available for this occupation, projections data are available for the parent occupation, Bricklayers and Stonemasons, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 77% of people employed as Bricklayers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 11 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 42 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.


Industries

Main industries

1
Construction
93.9%
2
Manufacturing
0.6%
3
Administrative and Support Services
0.3%
4
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
0.3%
5
Other industries
1.3%
  • Most Bricklayers work in the Construction industry.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.


Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

30.4% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

26.0% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

13.5% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

6.4% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

20.8% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

1.3% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.4% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.2% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Bricklayers All Jobs Average
NSW 30.4 31.6
VIC 26.0 25.6
QLD 13.5 20.0
SA 6.4 7.0
WA 20.8 10.8
TAS 1.3 2.0
NT 0.4 1.0
ACT 1.2 1.9


  • Around 41% of Bricklayers live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    Western Australia has a large share of employment relative to its population size.

    The regions with the largest share of workers are:

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
38
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
1%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Bricklayers is 38 years. This is similar to the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.

    Females make up 1% of the workforce. This is 47 percentage points below the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Bricklayers All Jobs Average
15-19 5.2 5.0
20-24 12.9 9.3
25-34 25.2 22.9
35-44 19.2 22.0
45-54 19.6 21.6
55-59 9.0 9.0
60-64 6.1 6.0
65 and Over 2.8 4.2
Median Age 38 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

A certificate III in bricklaying/blocklaying is usually needed to work as a Bricklayer. This course is often completed as part of an apprenticeship.

Registration or licencing may be required.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Construction, Plumbing and Services VET training pathways.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Bricklayers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 0.1 10.1
Bachelor degree 0.8 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 2.0 11.6
Certificate III/IV 67.7 21.1
Year 12 8.4 18.1
Year 11 4.2 4.8
Year 10 and below 16.8 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.


Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Bricklayers and Stonemasons who are reliable, work well in a team and are hardworking.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 50%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 46%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 41%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 39%

    Quality control analysis

    Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.

  • 37%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 37%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 36%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 34%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 34%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 34%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 34%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 32%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 32%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 32%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 29%

    Equipment selection

    Deciding on the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

  • 29%

    Management of personnel resources

    Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.

  • 29%

    Operation monitoring

    Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

  • 29%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 27%

    Management of material resources

    Providing the right equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do work.

  • 27%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 75%

    Building and construction

    Materials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.

  • 57%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 54%

    Technical design

    Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

  • 52%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 46%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 45%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 44%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 42%

    Mechanical

    Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • 42%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 42%

    Engineering and technology

    Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.

  • 41%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 39%

    Chemistry

    Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.

  • 37%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 35%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 33%

    Transportation

    Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.

  • 33%

    Physics

    The physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.

  • 28%

    Psychology

    Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.

  • 28%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • 24%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 20%

    Sociology and anthropology

    Group behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 63%

    Static strength

    Lift, push, pull, or carry things.

  • 61%

    Trunk strength

    Use your abdominal and lower back muscles a number of times without 'giving out' or fatiguing.

  • 52%

    Extent flexibility

    Bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

  • 52%

    Visualization

    Imagine how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

  • 50%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 48%

    Dynamic strength

    Exercise for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

  • 48%

    Manual dexterity

    Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

  • 46%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 45%

    Multilimb coordination

    Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.

  • 43%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 43%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 43%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 41%

    Control precision

    Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

  • 41%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 39%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 37%

    Balance

    Keep your balance or stay upright.

  • 37%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 36%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 36%

    Stamina

    Exercise for a long time without getting winded or out of breath.

  • 32%

    Mathematics

    Choose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 87%

    Handling and moving objects

    Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.

  • 81%

    Doing physically active work

    Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.

  • 74%

    Checking for errors or defects

    Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.

  • 72%

    Coordinating the work of a team

    Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.

  • 68%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 67%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 66%

    Scheduling work and activities

    Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

  • 63%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

  • 62%

    Drafting, laying out, and specifying parts

    Detailing and describing how devices, parts or equipment are to be made, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.

  • 62%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

  • 62%

    Controlling equipment or machines

    Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).

  • 61%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 61%

    Thinking creatively

    Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.

  • 61%

    Driving vehicles or equipment

    Running, manoeuvring, navigating, or driving things like forklifts, vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.

  • 57%

    Collecting and organising information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.

  • 57%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 57%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 56%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 54%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

    Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.

  • 34%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.


Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 100%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 62%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 62%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 38%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 19%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 14%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 67%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.

  • 57%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 48%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 43%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 38%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

  • 33%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 99%

    Outdoors, exposed to weather

    Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.

  • 98%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

    Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.

  • 96%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 96%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 93%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

    Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.

  • 92%

    Bending or twisting your body

    Spend time bending or twisting your body.

  • 89%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

    Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.

  • 88%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 87%

    Work at heights

    Work in high places (e.g., on poles, scaffolding, catwalks, or ladders).

  • 85%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 83%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 83%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 81%

    Very hot or cold temperatures

    Work in very hot or cold temperatures.

  • 77%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 76%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 76%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 75%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 74%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 72%

    Dangerous equipment

    Work near dangerous equipment like saws, machinery with open moving parts, or moving traffic.

  • 71%

    Minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings

    Be exposed to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 47-2021.00 - Brickmasons and Blockmasons.


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