Bricklaying is commonly associated with the construction sector which is booming in the UK with thousands of residential and commercial property developers expanding their businesses on a daily basis to keep up with the demand for houses and industrial or commercial properties to be built. Bricklaying is a traditional skill and actually dates back to 7k B.C and was used by the romans to construct their houses and public buildings that we see today such as the Colosseum.
By starting as an apprentice bricklaying job you will gain valuable experience whilst learning on the job from seasoned professionals looking to transfer their knowledge and skills to the next generation of bricklayers building the foundations of their careers.
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Build the foundations you need to keep a level path during your bricklaying apprenticeship.
If you are thinking about becoming an apprentice bricklayer the chances are you either know someone in the trade or you have a passion for building? The construction industry in the UK is pretty much a sure bet if you are looking for career stability and progressive career prospects.
Bricklaying is a very generalist, but highly skilled, trade in construction and can be transferred across a number of different construction sectors from house building, property maintenance to high rise commercial developments. Bricklayers are in high demand and companies up and down the country are offer bricklaying apprenticeships to keep up with the skills shortage they are facing.
The best thing about bricklaying apprenticeships is you don't need to have any previous experience, apprenticeships on offer start at intermediate level 2 and will train you from the ground up with support and mentoring from seasoned professional and industry related training providers like CITB.
During your bricklaying apprenticeship you will be trained in how to lay bricks and blocks to construct walls and even arches and other structures plus trowel skills. Parts of your practical training will most likely take place indoors for you to practice laying bricks, don't worry you won't be expected to construct houses from day one.
As with any apprenticeships in any sector you will be expected to work a minimum of thirty hours per week which will include your classroom training, that equates to 20% of your apprenticeship course. At present bricklaying apprenticeships are only offered at Level 2, however there are further training courses you can take to learn advanced skills.
Along with learning the fundamentals of bricklaying such as setting out, modern methods and how building structures work you will also be trained in other areas such as Health and Safety, Materials and Customer Service techniques.
Bricklaying only has one level of apprenticeship and that is the Intermediate Level which requires no previous experience or additional qualifications. On complete of your apprenticeship training your will have attained an NVQ Level 2 in Bricklaying and a knowledge based BTEC diploma.
After you have attained your qualification you may decide you want to progress your career further through attaining more qualifications through the apprenticeship route, this can be done through the many construction related apprenticeships that are available. You can achieve qualifications from a HNC to a Masters degree.
Level 2 Intermediate Bricklayer Apprenticeship
This is a 24 - 30 month apprenticeship programme where you will receive on the job training and learn towards an NVQ Level 2 and BTEC knowledge based diploma.
Level 4 Construction Site Supervisor Apprenticeship
This is a 36 month apprenticeship programme where you will receive on the job training and learn towards an HNC Level 4 in Construction and Built Environment.
Level 6 Construction Management Apprenticeship
This is a 36 month degree apprenticeship programme where you will receive on the job training and learn towards a bachelors degree in Construction Management.
Level 2 apprenticeships are commonly the lowest paid across all the apprenticeship levels. Employers are required by law to pay a minimum wage of £4.15 per hour to the apprentice plus holiday and other pay benefits that permanent staff receive. Due to the competition to attract apprentices for bricklaying apprenticeships companies are paying much higher then this with an average pay of £150 - £200 per week to apprentice bricklayers.
Intermediate Apprenticeships are your entry level into the world of apprenticeships more commonly known as a Level 2 Apprenticeship. Level 2 apprenticeships offer an excellent route into further education post 16, as an alternative to staying on at school, whilst receiving on the job training and studying towards a nationally recognised qualification.
During your intermediate apprenticeship you will study part-time with a college or a training provider, 20% of your training, towards an NVQ Level 2 and knowledge based qualification such as a BTEC, together these qualifications are the equivalent to 5 GCSE's grades 9 - 4 (A* - C on the old grading system). You will also receive a Level 2 Functional Skills in Maths and English if you don't already have them.
An Intermediate Apprenticeship is great for learning work related skills as apposed to being given more responsibility. This level of training will make you work ready and train you in the hands on skills required to undertake the responsibility of the task and give you the employability skills you need to be successful.
Qualifying Criteria
There is no formal qualifying criteria for a Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship however some employers may ask for a minimum of 2 GCSE's to be able to join their apprenticeship programme.
Advanced Apprenticeships or commonly known as Level 3 Apprenticeships are the equivalent to doing 2 A-Levels and are the next level from an intermediate apprenticeship. Level 3 apprenticeships are great for you to start once you have completed your GCSE's and have attained the correct grades to be able to start at this level.
Starting at the advanced level even if you already have A-levels enables you to gain on the training, of which some employers prefer you to have before starting a Higher or Degree apprenticeship.
Just like an intermediate apprenticeship you will be required to spend at least 20% of your time studying with a college or training provider to be able to achieve the qualifications. On completion of you r apprenticeship you will achieve the equivalent of 2 A-Levels in the form of an NVQ Level 3 and a knowledge based qualifications such as a BTEC diploma.
Qualifying Criteria
To qualifying for a Level 3 advanced apprenticeship many employers ask for a minimum of 5 GCSE's which must include Maths and English, this is why an intermediate apprenticeships gives you these qualifications on completion. Although an advanced apprenticeships is the equivalent of 2 A-Levels some employers may add A-Levels as their requirement at this level also.
Find companies advertising advanced apprenticeship jobs on our website.
Higher Apprenticeships are your Levels 4 and 5 qualifications and enable you to study towards a HNC or HND respectively whilst at Level 5 you can also attain a foundation degree which is great if you want to continue in your studies towards a bachelors degree.
During your higher apprenticeship training you will be required to studying part-time with a training provider, college or university which along with your on the job training will enable you to train towards a Level 4 or 5 NVQ and BTEC diploma along with their respective HNC or HND qualification. Higher apprenticeships can take up to four years to complete.
As a higher apprentice you will be given a lot more responsibility which may include managing people or teams or even responsible for managing projects. You will be supported by your employer along side your mentors and tutors making sure to advise and guide you along the way during your apprenticeship programme.
Qualifying Criteria
To qualifying for a higher apprenticeship you will need to have achieved and completed at least a Level 3 Apprenticeship or have 5 GCSE's grades 9-4 which must include Maths and English and 2 A-Levels.
Find companies advertising higher apprenticeship jobs on our website.
Degree apprenticeships were introduced in September 2015 and have been receive with open arms both by employers and apprentices alike. Also known as Level 6 or 7 apprenticeships the degree level apprenticeship enables you to study towards a Bachelors or Masters degree.
You can start a degree apprenticeships straight after your advanced apprenticeship level or alternatively if you want to gain more on the job training before the Level 6 programme you can overlap from a higher apprenticeship programme. Many employers are now partnering with leading universities across the country to offer degree level apprenticeships to help advance your learning opportunities.
Just like studying at university a degree level apprenticeship takes between 3 to 6 years to complete you will achieve this by on the job training with your employer and training provider and then part-time study at the designated university for your apprenticeship course.
Qualifying Criteria
To qualifying for a degree apprenticeship you will need to have at least Level 3 qualifications of 2 A-Levels, NVQ and BTEC or have completely the advanced apprenticeship. Level 6 and 7 are also a natural progression from a higher apprenticeship.
Find companies advertising degree apprenticeship jobs on our website.
FAQs about Bricklaying Apprenticeships
Where can I find an apprenticeship in bricklaying?
Use our quick and easy search function to find an apprentice bricklaying jobs then register to become an apprentice.
Do I have to have previous experience in bricklaying?
You do not need any previous experience in bricklaying to start this apprenticeship programme, obviously previous experience will only benefit you. the bricklaying apprenticeships is a great starting point to other industry construction apprenticeships if you want to develop your career.
How much can I earn as a bricklayer?
Bricklayers earn on average £43,000 per annum and can earn up to £90,000 per year in London.
Will I have to work outside to do an apprenticeship in bricklaying?
Yes. The likelihood due to the majority of buildings and walled structures being outside means you will be required to work outside which is great in the summer.
Which companies recruit bricklaying apprentices?
Bricklayers are in high demand from facilities management companies or more importantly house builders. House-builders such as Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Homes and Redrow regularly recruit apprentice bricklayers to help with the demand to build more houses.
What is an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is a form of further education which offers on the job training for you to gain a nationally recognised qualification whilst studying part-time with an apprenticeship training provider, college or university through workshops or classroom training.
Apprenticeship training has to be delivered by a registered apprenticeship training provider which can also be an employer-provider, where the employer you are training through are on the register of training providers to be able to deliver their own training requirements. If an employer acts as an employer-provider they will usually employ a number of people such as Apprenticeship Assessors, Mentors and Managers to support you through your apprenticeship programme.
During your apprenticeship you will receive a salary and all the other benefits permanent employees receive. An apprenticeship job is only for a specified time as stipulated at the beginning of your apprenticeship training which can last anything from 12 months to 5 years.
To find our more about apprenticeships please refer to our What is an Apprenticeship? guide.
Why should you start an apprenticeship?
If you are considering your post 16 options you probably wouldn't have considered an apprenticeship a few years ago and would be struggling or worrying what to do when you leave school. It is a legal requirement for you to now stay in some form of further education until the age of 18 and you now have three options A-Levels, College or an Apprenticeship.
You can start an apprenticeship at the age of 16 through the Intermediate or Advanced level apprenticeship programmes across many industry sectors from Construction, Technology or even Marketing. There are no entry requirements for the intermediate apprenticeship, however you will need at least 5 GCSE's at grade 4 (previously C grade) or above to qualify for the advanced apprenticeship. On completion of the intermediate you will gain the qualifying criteria for a level 3.
The best reason for starting an apprenticeship is on completion of each level you will receive a nationally recognised qualification from an NVQ all the way up to a degree level apprenticeship such as a Bachelors or Masters.
How can you become an apprentice?
There are a number of ways to become an apprentice so we thought we would list them for you:
- Register with websites like ourselves, there are others available.
- Apprenticeship Job Fairs are great for meeting employers and training providers.
- Contact training providers in your area, a simple Google search "Training providers near me" will give you the information you need.
- Contact your local colleges or universities or visit their websites to see if they offer apprenticeship training.
- UCAS promote apprenticeship opportunities on their website on behalf of employers.
and finally......
- Do some research on apprenticeships and find a topic or industry that you would like to start an apprenticeship in and then research local companies in those sectors and visit their websites to see if they offer apprenticeship training and apply directly with them.
Bricklaying Apprenticeships
FAQs about Bricklaying Apprenticeships