CareerGPS

Brickmasons and Blockmasons
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Brickmasons and Blockmasons
Employment Employment Change Average Annual Job Openings Wage & Training Levels
2020 2025 Numerical Percent New Jobs Replacement Jobs Total Median Hourly Median Annual Training Levels
514 575 60 11.74% 12 52 64 $26.24 $54,576 High school diploma or equivalent
Description: Lay and bind building materials, such as brick, structural tile, concrete block, cinder block, glass block, and terra-cotta block, with mortar and other substances to construct or repair walls, partitions, arches, sewers, and other structures.
Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2023)

Occupation Details

The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.

  • Construct corners by fastening in plumb position a corner pole or building a corner pyramid of bricks, and filling in between the corners using a line from corner to corner to guide each course, or layer, of brick.
  • Measure distance from reference points and mark guidelines to lay out work, using plumb bobs and levels.
  • Calculate angles and courses and determine vertical and horizontal alignment of courses.
  • Fasten or fuse brick or other building material to structure with wire clamps, anchor holes, torch, or cement.
  • Break or cut bricks, tiles, or blocks to size, using trowel edge, hammer, or power saw.
  • Remove excess mortar with trowels and hand tools, and finish mortar joints with jointing tools, for a sealed, uniform appearance.
  • Interpret blueprints and drawings to determine specifications and to calculate the materials required.
  • Apply and smooth mortar or other mixture over work surface.
  • Mix specified amounts of sand, clay, dirt, or mortar powder with water to form refractory mixtures.
  • Examine brickwork or structure to determine need for repair.
  • Clean working surface to remove scale, dust, soot, or chips of brick and mortar, using broom, wire brush, or scraper.
  • Lay and align bricks, blocks, or tiles to build or repair structures or high temperature equipment, such as cupola, kilns, ovens, or furnaces.
  • Remove burned or damaged brick or mortar, using sledgehammer, crowbar, chipping gun, or chisel.

Knowledge

83%
Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
63%
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
62%
Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
58%
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
57%
Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
56%
Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
51%
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
51%
Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
50%
Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Skills

56%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
56%
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
53%
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
53%
Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
53%
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
50%
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Abilities

72%
Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
72%
Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
72%
Static Strength - The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
69%
Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
69%
Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
69%
Extent Flexibility - The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
69%
Dynamic Strength - The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.
65%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
62%
Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
60%
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
60%
Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
56%
Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
53%
Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
53%
Gross Body Equilibrium - The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
53%
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
53%
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
53%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
53%
Stamina - The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
50%
Gross Body Coordination - The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion.
50%
Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
50%
Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
50%
Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes compa
50%
Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
50%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Work Activities

89%
Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
89%
Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
88%
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
80%
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment - Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
79%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
78%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
77%
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
76%
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
75%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
74%
Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
73%
Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
73%
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment - Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
72%
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
72%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
67%
Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
65%
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
65%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
64%
Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
63%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
62%
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
62%
Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
60%
Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
59%
Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
57%
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
57%
Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
56%
Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
55%
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
54%
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
54%
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment - Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
51%
Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Title Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Overall Experience Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job Training Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Job Zone Examples These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, physical therapist aides, salespersons (retail), and tellers.
Education These occupations usually require a high school diploma.

Interests

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outsi
Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Work Styles

Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.

Work Values

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