Stonemason
Use your manual skills to carve blocks of stone, or lay and fit stonework into place on building projects.

About the job
What it's like
Imagine being able to work on a castle, a mansion or a Victorian tenement! You'll use your manual skills to carve blocks of stone, or lay and fit stonework into place on building projects.
You'll normally work as either a banker mason in a workshop, or a fixer mason on site. The skills needed for each overlap, but the focus of your job would be different.
Its really rewarding to know you're keeping traditional skills alive and preserving buildings for future generations.
As a banker mason, you'll:
follow design instructions
carve and shape stone
give stone a textured or polished finish (known as dressing)
use hand and power tools
As a fixer mason, you'll:
build walls
fit cladding using specialised materials and methods
repair stonework
In either specialism you might:
repair old buildings and monuments
carve or repair statues or headstones
make and fit stonework such as window frames, archways and ornamental garden pieces
As the job is so varied, you'll learn to work with many materials such as sandstone, limestone, slate, marble and granite.
It would be essential to follow health and safety rules at all times.
Green job
In this job you'll be doing work to help the environment by:
using sustainable materials
preserving and saving buildings for the future
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Stone Federation Great Britain – Looking for a career in the stone industry?
Scottish stonemasonry at the White House, USA – YouTube video
Meet Charlie, a stonemason in Oban – YouTube video
Historic Scotland apprenticeships in stonemasonry – YouTube video
Like the sound of this career?
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Select qualification level(s)
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Bricklayer
Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
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Construction and built environment
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- taking responsibility
- managing resources
- developing a plan
- concentrating
- attention to detail
- innovative
- designing
- creative
- adaptability

Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Design and Manufacture
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Environmental Science
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Practical Craft Skills
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Skills for Work: Construction Craft
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Skills for Work: Practical Experiences: Construction and Engineering
Apprenticeships
Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) mean you learn on the job. You get paid and work towards a qualification at the same time. You might want to consider an MA in Construction: Building.
You'll usually have to take an aptitude test as part of the entry process.
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you secure a job or progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
Construction and the Built Environment
Architectural Conservation
Building Conservation
Construction Management
Use the My World of Work course search to find relevant HNCs or HNDs.
Work
You could become a stonemason by spending time as a labourer or bricklayer. You can then do additional training with your empoyer to move into stonemasonry.
Use the My World of Work job search to look for vacancies.
Getting work experience in a relevant role can help you build the skills and experience you’ll need to become [job title]. Search for opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
You must hold a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent and pass a health and safety test to train or work on construction sites.
A driving licence may be required for some jobs.
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