bipoc male crouched with a trowel and bricks

Bricklayers

(NOC 7281)
Annual Earnings
$70,910
Typical Education Background
Apprenticeship Certificate
Job Openings
(2022-2032)
540

Career Overview

Bricklayers lay bricks, concrete blocks, stone and other similar materials to construct or repair walls, arches, chimneys, fireplaces and other structures in accordance with blueprints and specifications.

People in these occupations:

  • Work for construction companies and bricklaying contractors
  • May be self-employed
  • Should be in good physical condition, be aware of safety issues and have good manual dexterity
  • Need to have a good sense of balance to work with heavy equipment and materials on narrow platforms and scaffolds
  • Need to have a have an artistic eye and be able to recognize patterns, lines and proportions

Duties

Bricklayers perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Read sketches and blueprints to calculate materials required
  • Cut and trim bricks and concrete blocks to specification using hand and power tools
  • Prepare and lay bricks, concrete blocks, stone, structural tiles and similar materials to construct or repair walls, foundations and other structures in residential, industrial and commercial construction
  • Lay bricks or other masonry units to build residential or commercial chimneys and fireplaces
  • Lay radial bricks to build masonry shells of industrial chimneys
  • Lay or install firebricks to line industrial chimneys and smokestacks
  • Line or reline furnaces, kilns, boilers and similar installations using refractory or acid-resistant bricks, refractory concretes, plastic refractories and other materials
  • Lay bricks, stone or similar materials to provide veneer facing to walls or other surfaces
  • Construct and install prefabricated masonry units
  • Lay bricks or other masonry units to build patios, garden walls and other decorative installations
  • May restore, clean or paint existing masonry structures

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$70,910

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$44.38/hr
Median$34.00/hr
Low$24.00/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2022 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

1,600

% Employed Full Time

43%
Source: 2016 Census

Bricklayers usually work outdoors during a 40-hour workweek. Some overtime may also be required to meet construction schedules. Workers may have to work longer hours when the weather is good.

Protective enclosures and portable heaters may be used to protect workers in poor weather conditions. Bricklayers must sometimes work at heights on scaffolding. In addition to hazards related to working at heights, the work site may also be noisy and dirty. The work is physically demanding and workers routinely lift heavy materials.

Safety precautions and the use of safety equipment (hard hats, steel-toed boots and safety glasses) reduce risk of injury.

Career Pathways

Workers typically begin by working as bricklayer apprentices. After completing their certification most apprentices continue to work for a contractor or large company.

With experience, bricklayers are can advance to supervisory positions or start their own businesses.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Realistic
Realistic

Job Titles

Bricklayer, chimney / chimney repair
Bricklayer, furnace lining / kiln repair
Bricklayer, journeyman / journeywoman
Bricklayer, refractory
Brickmason, fireplace / industrial furnace
Erector, masonry silo
Ladle repair bricklayer
Mason, artificial stone / brick and stone
Permastone installer
Repairer-mason, refractory brick
Setter, artificial stones / brick /
Stonecutter / stonemason / restoration

Education, Training and Skills

Completion of secondary school is usually required. In addition, completion of a three- to four-year apprenticeship program (or a combination of more than four years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in bricklaying) is required to be eligible for trade certification. Trade certification is not required to work as a bricklayer in B.C., but it can help increase job opportunities. The bricklayer apprenticeship:

  • Requires a combination of work experience and class time instruction
  • Classroom training usually takes four five-week periods, however, part-time and distance education may be available
  • Can be started in secondary school, through entry-level training at colleges and technical institutes or by direct entry
  • Requires workers to find a sponsor employer who is willing to participate in the program.

Interprovincial trade certification, Red Seal certification, is available to qualified bricklayers through SkilledTradesBC.

Workers with 7,500 hours of documented directly related work experience can challenge the interprovincial Red Seal examination. For more information please see the SkilledTradesBC website at https://skilledtradesbc.ca.

Bricklayers who are certified for that occupation by a regulator elsewhere in Canada can apply for the same certification from the regulator in B.C. Under the terms of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most applicants who are transferring their credentials from elsewhere in Canada will not be required to complete additional training or testing. However, the B.C. regulator may ask applicants to provide further information such as a letter of good standing, references, or criminal record check.

For those who trained outside of Canada and never received certification from any Canadian jurisdiction, a full assessment is likely needed. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants.

Contact SkilledTradesBC for details on how to apply for certification in B.C.

For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca.

View a list of Professional Regulatory Authorities in B.C.

Trades training resources

Visit our trades training page at www.workbc.ca/trades to learn about apprenticeship and trades training in B.C.

Education programs in B.C.

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Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

56%
Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

53%
Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

52%
Time Management

Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

52%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

51%
Judgment and Decision-Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

50%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

49%
Operation and Control

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

48%
Operation Monitoring

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

48%
Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

48%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

1,600
Source: 2016 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Employment (2022) % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 40 2.2%
Kootenay 110 5.5%
Mainland/Southwest 1,120 60.0%
North Coast and Nechako N/A 1.2%
Northeast N/A 0.0%
Thompson-Okanagan 240 10.5%
Vancouver Island/Coast 420 20.6%
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2022-2032)

540
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2022-2032)

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 0 0.0%
Kootenay 10 -0.9%
Mainland/Southwest 300 0.5%
North Coast and Nechako N/A N/A
Northeast N/A N/A
Thompson-Okanagan 80 0.0%
Vancouver Island/Coast 160 0.9%
N/A: Data is not available for this region.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2022-2032)
Construction72,700
Manufacturing49,200
Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction12,000
Wholesale Trade33,100
Retail Trade115,500
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Insights from Industry

Of the new openings that arise in the coming years, more than half are expected from new job growth.

In recent years, the strong economy in B.C. resulted in a rapid increase in construction activity, which created a strong demand for bricklayers.

Within the Construction industry, the majority of bricklayers work in the commercial and institutional construction sub-sectors, installing facades, walls, courtyards and entrance ways. The use of brick is also becoming more popular in multi-unit residential construction.

Future demand for workers will depend on growth in the Construction industry and the retirement of current workers. In the next few years, activities in residential construction are expected to be slow, while the pace of industrial construction is expected to remain stable.

Resources