← Certificate III qualifications
Certificate III in Bricklaying and Blocklaying
CPC - Construction, Plumbing and Services
Apprenticeship outcome for bricklaying and blocklaying. Strong demand across residential and commercial construction.
Entry requirements
- Signed apprenticeship contract
- White Card
What you will learn
The CPC33020 covers brick and block construction across residential and commercial buildings. Core units include reading construction plans, setting out and laying bricks to gauge, building cavity walls and piers, installing damp-proof courses, constructing arches, and laying reinforced blockwork to AS 3700 masonry standards. You learn to mix mortar to spec, cut bricks cleanly with brick saw and bolster, and finish joints in a range of profiles. Across the three-year apprenticeship you build the pace and accuracy that distinguishes a trained bricklayer.
Skills you build
- Reading construction drawings and setting out walls
- Mixing mortar and gauging brick courses
- Building cavity walls, piers and arches
- Cutting bricks with brick saw and bolster
- Installing damp-proof courses and weep holes
- Reinforced blockwork to AS 3700
- Pointing and finishing mortar joints
How the course runs
Most apprentices attend TAFE on day release (one day per week) or in one-week blocks each term. Around 480 hours of TAFE contact across the three years is typical. Most learning is hands-on in workshop and on site, with a smaller theory component on standards, materials and safety. After completion most graduates work for residential subcontractors on piece rates.
How you will be assessed
- Practical demonstrations in TAFE workshops
- Timed brick-laying tasks against gauge and plumb
- Written knowledge tests per unit of competency
- Third-party reports from your supervising bricklayer
- On-job photo evidence and log book entries
Workplace and placement
The apprenticeship is a three-year paid workplace contract under the Australian Apprenticeships framework. You sign a Training Contract with a bricklaying subcontractor or builder. Apprentice wages are set under the Building and Construction General On-Site Award and rise each year. Many bricklayers move onto piece rates after qualifying, where output and speed directly drive earnings.
Typical employers
- Volume residential builders on new estates
- Bricklaying subcontractors
- Commercial builders on schools, retail and warehouses
- Heritage and restoration contractors
- Local council and government maintenance teams
- Owner-builders on custom homes
Pay after this qualification
$65,000 - $90,000 per year
Source: https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/explore-careers/occupation/bricklayers-and-stonemasons. Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
Is this the right course for you?
You probably thrive here if
- You can handle heavy repetitive lifting
- You like working outdoors in all weather
- You can keep a consistent pace through long days
- You can work to fine tolerances on gauge and plumb
- You are happy on piece-rate pay after qualifying
It is probably not for you if
- You have back, knee or shoulder issues
- You cannot commit to three years of apprentice pay
- You struggle with repetitive physical work
- You cannot stomach long sun-exposed days
After you finish
After completing the apprenticeship many bricklayers pursue Certificate IV in Building and Construction (CPC40120) toward a builder licence, or the Diploma of Building and Construction (CPC50220) for supervisor roles. Specialist endorsements include stonemasonry (CPC32320), heritage masonry and tilt-up panel work. Some progress into university Bachelor of Construction Management programs at Deakin, UTS or Bond.