National Certificate in Masonry

By JANINE OGIER

The course: The National Certificate in Masonry offered by WelTec is a level-four qualification designed for apprentices in masonry. Apprentices attend a three-week "block" course at WelTec each year for three years to gain the theoretical side of the qualification. Because of a shortage of qualified and experienced masons and bricklayers, WelTec is offering to double the number of places next year at each level of the certificate.

Students need to have signed an apprentice training agreement, and most have worked in the trade for a year before entering the course. Those who have completed a 12-week pre-trade masonry course enter into the second-level block course.

The course's unit standards provide theoretical back-up and extension to practice in the workplace. During the course apprentices spend half a day in the classroom and half in workshops, and are assessed on both theory and practical over the three years. They learn to plan, draw, interpret and create projects that further their masonry skills.

In the first year this involves putting up straight walls with return corners. By the third year apprentices are following their own geometric designs for arches and fireplaces, calculating quantities and cutting bricks to create convex and concave curves.

Other topics include composition of materials and appropriate usage. For example, glass blocks require a different mix of mortar to other bricks because glass doesn't soak up water.

Most apprentices successfully complete the national certificate after three years. They usually need to do another year's work to fulfil the 8000-hour requirement of the apprenticeship. The few women who take up masonry apprenticeships do well in the course, particularly in tiling and paving.

On successfully completing their national certificate the graduates become qualified tradespeople in bricklaying and masonry. While many continue working for wages, others set up their own businesses as bricklayers, blocklayers, tilers and pavers. The course is recognised internationally and masonry is a popular trade overseas.

What graduates think

David Kennerley, 19

Bricklaying apprentice, L&J Gagen Bricklaying Ltd

Third year apprentice

I've just completed my National Certificate in Masonry Level 4. I'm glad I'm going to have a certificate in my hand to show what I've done and can do. Because I am an apprentice I went on block courses to get my certificate.

I learned heaps about things we don't usually do on the job here, like making pre-cast chimneys, refractory walls, kilns and fireplaces. We also learn about all the regulations we need to know so that we don't stuff up. Tech really widens our knowledge.

I also liked the creative side of what we did at tech, like the graphic design stuff that we used to design arches and fireplaces. They'll be good skills for later. I enjoy bricklaying because it is outside work, we get to travel around and it is a bit creative.

What employers think

Lindsay Gagen

L&J Gagen Bricklaying Ltd, Takanini


The course is good in that it teaches the boys a lot of the theory, such as how bricks are made, reading of plans, working out of quantities, setting out of a site, bonding of bricks.

Sure, we do some of this on the job, but the course teaches them about things we don't cover and widens their knowledge about areas we do cover from a theoretical perspective. For example, on site we tend to use just one type of bonding for bricks, but they learn about other bonding on the course.

Understanding the theory is important for the boys because it deepens their knowledge and they need to know their theory when dealing with clients.

For example, they need to be able to explain the technical aspects of bricklaying to a client, why we take the approaches we do and use the materials we use. I sign up all my boys to this apprenticeship course.

It is a hands-on trade so apprentices also need time on site to develop skills. It can take four to five years to develop good trowel skills and learn how to nut everything out.

That is why our trade is one of the few that wrote a time requirement into the national certificate, although the length of time is currently under discussion within the industry.


The qualification

National Certificate in Masonry Level 4 (apprenticeship qualification)

Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec) is the only provider at this level in New Zealand.

0800 WELTEC (0800 935 832) or 04 920 2423

Apprentices start on about $9 an hour. Newly qualified bricklayers earn $25,000 to $40,000 a year.

The national certificate costs $4100.