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ANZSCO 3311Skill level 3Engineering and trades

Bricklayer

Lay bricks, blocks and stone to construct walls, partitions and other masonry structures.

Salary

Cited figures from Job Outlook and QILT. ExamExplained does not publish predictive earnings or projections.

FigureAUDSource
Full-time weekly earnings$1700Job Outlook (2025-06-01)

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What a bricklayer actually does

Bricklayers work on residential, commercial and infrastructure projects laying bricks, concrete blocks, stone and AAC blocks. Days start around 7am with material and mortar prep, then setting out from the corners, laying lead courses and filling between. Most domestic bricklayers work in a small two- or three-person team, often with a labourer mixing mortar and loading bricks. Commercial work is typically piecework through a labour-hire company on bigger jobs. The trade is paid by piece rate (per thousand bricks laid) on most sites. The body takes a real toll. Bricklaying is physical labour in the sun and rain with a fair share of bending, lifting and twisting. Many bricklayers move into small business ownership, supervision or related trades like stonemasonry or sandstone after 10-15 years.

Typical tasks

  • Set out walls and corners from drawings.
  • Mix and apply mortar to manufacturer standards.
  • Cut and shape bricks and blocks.

Skills you'll use

  • Reading building plans and setting out from a datum line
  • Mixing mortar to the right consistency
  • Spreading mortar, laying bricks plumb and level
  • Cutting bricks with a brick saw and hammer and bolster
  • Building piers, returns, lintels and arches
  • Working safely at heights and around scaffolding
  • Quoting and managing your own time on piecework

How to become one

  1. 1Finish Year 10 or 12. A pre-apprenticeship Certificate II in Construction Pathways is helpful if you have not yet found a host
  2. 2Secure a host with a residential builder or commercial bricklaying gang and sign an apprenticeship agreement
  3. 3Complete a 3-year Certificate III in Bricklaying and Blocklaying (CPC33020) at TAFE alongside paid on-job training
  4. 4Add a White Card and any extra tickets such as working at heights and EWP early. Scaffolding tickets help on commercial work
  5. 5Decide between residential, commercial or specialist heritage work in your last apprenticeship year. The pay model is different in each
  6. 6Optional next steps include a Certificate IV in Building and Construction so you can move into supervision or apply for a state Builder's Licence

Where you can work

  • Project home and volume residential builders
  • Commercial and high-rise construction sites
  • Heritage restoration contractors
  • Block laying contractors on retaining walls and basements
  • Brick suppliers as technical representatives
  • Self-employed sole traders and small gangs
  • Stonemasonry and landscape construction firms

Career progression

Typical stages and salary bands. Salary figures are sourced from Job Outlook, QILT or industry bodies; brackets are 25th-75th percentile not absolute floors or ceilings.

  1. Apprentice
    0-3 years
    Typical roles: First-year apprentice, Third-year apprentice
    Salary band: $28,000 - $52,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
  2. Qualified bricklayer
    3-8 years
    Typical roles: Residential bricklayer, Commercial bricklayer, Block layer
    Salary band: $75,000 - $105,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
  3. Leading hand or sub-contractor
    8-15 years
    Typical roles: Leading hand, Foreman, Sub-contracting gang leader
    Salary band: $100,000 - $140,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
  4. Business owner or specialist
    12+ years
    Typical roles: Bricklaying business owner, Stonemason or heritage specialist, Builder

Is this for you?

You might love this if

  • You like physical, outdoor work and seeing fast progress each day
  • You can handle the body strain of repetitive lifting and bending
  • You are good with measurement and an eye for plumb and level
  • You can work as part of a small, tight team
  • You want a trade that suits piecework and self-employment

This might not suit you if

  • You have a back or shoulder injury that limits heavy lifting
  • You dislike working outdoors in summer heat or winter rain
  • You want a profession with a stable weekly wage and paid leave from day one

Three ways in

Uni, TAFE and trade routes for bricklayer. Not every career has all three; we only list pathways that actually lead to this occupation.

University

Bachelor degrees that lead to this career.

No direct undergraduate pathway. Consider postgraduate study after a related bachelor degree.

TAFE / VET

Nationally accredited Certificate and Diploma qualifications.

Apprenticeship trade

Earn while you learn through an Australian Apprenticeship.

Sources

ExamExplained does not publish predictive salary figures. For current Australian earnings data check Job Outlook directly. Career classifications follow the ABS ANZSCO 2022 release.