The minimum age at which the employment of an apprentice may commence is 16 years of age.

The minimum educational requirements are:

• Grade D or "Achieved" in five subjects in the Department of Education & Skills Junior Certificate Examination or an approved equivalent,
  or
• The successful completion of an approved Pre-Apprenticeship course,
  or
• Three years’ work experience gained over sixteen years of age in a relevant designated industrial activity as SOLAS shall deem acceptable.

You must obtain a job as an apprentice in your chosen occupation. Your employer must be approved to train apprentices and must register you as an apprentice within 2 weeks of recruitment.

To become a Bricklayer / Stonelaying apprentice, you may be required to pass the Ishihara Colour Vision Test (24 Plate Edition). For further information, contact your local Education and Training Board    .

Note: The following are the current approved minimum educational requirements for apprenticeship programmes. While not essential, prior experience in the subjects listed below would be an advantage.

• Art
• Technical Drawing/Graphics
• Construction Studies
• Technology
• Mathematics

Phase 1: With Employer

• Induction Training
• Introduction to Health & Safety
• Introduction to Tools & Equipment
• Introduction to Basic Skills

Phase 2: Delivered in Training Centre (20 weeks)

Course Content:

• Induction
• Brickwork
• Blockwork (Solid & Hollow)
• Cavity Walls & Chimney Breast Construction 

Phase 3: With Employer

• Work Based Training and Assessments

Phase 4: Delivered in Educational Colleges (10 weeks)

Course Content:

• Kerblaying & Paving
• File Openings, Flues & Chimneys
• Decorative Brickwork
• Arch & Timber Frame Construction

Phase 5: With Employer

• Work Based Training and Assessments

Phase 6: Delivered in Educational Colleges (10 weeks)

Course Content:

• Arch Construction
• Decorative Brickwork & Tiling
• Stonework & Cladding 

Phase 7: With Employer

• Work Based Training and Assessments
  
  

The overall duration of this apprenticeship is a minimum of 4 years provided all phases are successfully completed.

On successful completion of the programme, the learner is awarded a Level 6 Advanced Certificate Craft - Brick and Stonelaying.

The training is provided by the following institutions:

• TU Dublin - City Campus    
• TUS Moylish Campus (Limerick Institute of Technology)    
• SETU (Carlow and Waterford)    
• Cork College of FET     

• Education and Training Boards (ETBs)    
  Local ETBs may also offer apprenticeship training. 

Search local ETB apprenticeship providers here.    

Your local ETB may offer apprenticeship training.

A Brick and Stonelayer needs to be physically active and able to work with their hands.

An awareness of health and safety and good housekeeping is essential, along with strong attention to detail.

The Brick and Stonelayer must have the ability to:

• Plan and organise.
• Communicate effectively.
• Solve problems.
• Work independently and as part of a team.
• Show a positive attitude.
• Recognise the need for good customer relations.
• Demonstrate good work practices, including time keeping, tidiness, responsibility, quality awareness, and a strong focus on safety. 

Brick and Stonelayers require many skills including:

• Working with a variety of specialised hand and power tools.
• Working with mortar to bond and point.
• The ability to work to specifications and adapt to surroundings to produce plumb and level walls.
• The ability to read plans and drawings to find out how the structure is to be built and take account of where corners need to be or where openings must be left for doors and windows.
• Attention to detail and accuracy – the Brick and Stonelayer has to make sure that the structure is accurate and meets design requirements.

Core Skills

Building

• Brick walls
• Solid concrete block walls
• Cavity walls in brick and block
• Cellular block walls
• Door and window openings
• Piers
• Soldier courses
• Chimney breasts and stacks
• Timber frame construction

Setting

• Capping and copings
• Lintels and sills
• Laying damp proof courses
• Producing joint finishes
• Identifying various types of scaffolding
• Maintaining safe scaffolding practices

Specialist Skills

• Arch construction
• Stonelaying
• Installing and building drainage and sewerage layouts
• Setting kerbstones
• Laying paving slabs
• Floor and wall tiling
• Decorative brickwork
• Prefabricated brick/concrete panelling construction
• System built chimney

Common Skills

• Calculations: costing projects and estimating materials
• Measuring and setting-out
• Transferring levels
• Plumbing, ranging and levelling using spirit level
• Use and care of tools
• Knowledge of building materials

Health and safety is an important aspect of the job; a Brick and Stonelayer needs to wear protective footwear, a safety helmet, and, occasionally, safety glasses and hand protection.

Typical Bricklayer/Stonelaying Apprenticeship work involves: 

• Learning and developing new practical craft-related skills, knowledge and competence.
• Working with and learning from experienced craftspersons.
• Working with technical drawings and diagrams.
  
  
• Seeing a job through from start to finish.
• Complying with health and safety requirements.
• Working mainly outdoors.
• Using tools or machinery.
• Being accurate with numbers in estimating, measuring, and arithmetic.
• Accuracy and attention to detail.

• Being well organised and careful with practical tasks.
• Working at heights.
• Lifting or carrying heavy items.
• Taking responsibility for own learning, including the allocation of study time.
• Working on a construction site.
• Being physically active.
• Stretching, bending, and kneeling.
• Working in cramped and awkward spaces.
  
  
• Passing all your phase exams (theory, practicals, skills demonstration).
• Earning as you learn.

On successful completion of the apprenticeship programme, apprentices are qualified to work within the recognised trade or profession. 

Where apprentices and craftspersons have the necessary ability, initiative, and basic qualifications, opportunities are available for advancement. These include advanced technological and management courses which are available in technological universities, colleges, professional institutes, etc. 

With experience, you could become a construction site supervisor, or move into related areas like estimating or apprentice training. You could also specialise in decorative brickwork, stonemasonry, or set up your own business.

People in employment have a number of options for both educational and career progression.

It may be possible to gain promotion within your existing company. By using your existing qualifications and your experience, you may be able to secure an alternative position in a more senior role in another company.

It may also be possible to set up your own company based on your existing qualifications and experience.  Whatever route you decide to take, remember, education is a lifelong pursuit and you can always continue to up skill and/or retrain, whatever your age.

Career Progression Useful Links

Educational Supports: Upon completing an apprenticeship, you may have the opportunity to progress to full awards on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) at Levels 7 to 10.

You may also decide to embark on a partial award or upskill in a particular area by undertaking a short specialised course. Depending on your skills, knowledge, and experience, some of the opportunities below might be appropriate to help develop your career pathway.   

• Springboard & conversion courses      
• Skillnet Sector learning network courses    
• Skills to advance Local ETB Board     
• Further education training centres Fetchcourses
• Post graduate education Search Post Graduate options

Enterprise and Self-Employment

On completion of an apprenticeship you may decide to set up your own business.

Useful links to support your enterprise

• Local Enterprise Offices    For profit Local enterprise support
• Local Area partnerships     For profit enterprise support
• Social entrepreneurs     Not-for-profit enterprise support
• Franchising     Developing your business under an established franchise

To become an apprentice in Ireland you must be hired by an employer. 

Apprenticeship employers are formally approved by SOLAS     in advance of employing apprentices.

Apprentices get a formal contract of employment as part of their apprenticeship.

To find an apprenticeship, you can search apprenticeship vacancies and a list of currently approved apprentice employers on the Apprenticeship Jobs & Employers Portal    . You can search for vacancies by location and employer in each apprenticeship.

Your local Education and Training Board     may also hold details of employers seeking to employ an apprentice.

Full eligibility criteria for this apprenticeship are available in the Brick & Stonelaying brochure    .

Finding an Employer

Finding an employer or registering your interest with an official Coordinating Provider is one of the first things you need to do to start an apprenticeship.

To find an apprenticeship and secure an apprenticeship work contract you can search apprenticeship vacancies on the Apprenticeship Jobs Portal . You can search for vacancies by location and by apprenticeship type.

Your local Education and Training Board may also hold details of employers seeking to employ an apprentice.

You should also directly connect with local employers who might be interested in taking on an apprentice. It is a great idea to get a part time job with a local employer who might be more inclined to take you on as an apprentice following a successful work experience placement or a part time job contract.

Further information about this apprenticeship may be available from the following organisations on this website:

Organisations supporting this apprenticeship

Where we know of supporting organisations we list these below:

Online Job Sites

Here are some direct links to employment websites that frequently list apprenticeship vacancies.

Note: These websites may include vacancies that are not QQI accredited Apprenticeships.

As an apprentice, you earn while you learn.

Employment Salary (On-the-job)

The employer pays you a salary while you are being trained on-the-job. The rate of pay is agreed between you and your employer.

Training Allowance (Off-the-job)
A training allowance is paid by the local Education and Training Board (ETB) while you are attending the off-the-job training. In some cases, a contribution towards travel or accommodation is provided. 

The sector the apprentice's employer is engaged in will determine the allowance payable. These allowances are calculated on the gross wages paid by industry in each sector. The hourly rates and weekly gross wage norms for the construction industry are listed below.

Weekly Gross Wage Norms

Apprentices Hourly Rates of Pay

(Per Construction SEO Order SI 620 of 2024)

From 1st August 2025 to 31st July 2026 

• 1st Year.     33.33%.    €7.67
• 2nd year.    50%.        €11.50
• 3rd Year.     75%.        €17.25 
• 4th Year.     90%.        €20.70 

From 1st August 2026 

• 1st Year.    33.33%.       €7.91
• 2nd year.    50%.          €11.87
• 3rd Year.     75%.          €17.81 
• 4th Year.     90%           €21.37

View more details on rates of pay at Connect Trade Union.     

(Connect is the largest trade union representing construction, electrical, and technical workers in Ireland.)

View Information on taxation for off-the-job payments here.    

For information on how to access payslips via PEOPLEXD, see out the Apprentice Payee PeopleXD for Payees User Reference Guide    . 

FEES

Apprentices complete two of their three phases of off-the-job training in a higher education institution. A student contribution must be paid for this part of the training.

The amount of the student contribution is a proportion of the annual student contribution paid by students who are attending a full-time course in higher education. The student contribution is paid directly to the higher education institution.

The student contribution for this apprenticeship is €1,000 for Phase 4 and €1,000 for Phase 6.