Education · 1 of 4

The path

Learned by doing. Nobody hires a stonemason on a diploma, they hire on the wall you built last month.

1. 1

   High school diploma or an equivalency certificate

   Grade 12

   Math, shop and art all help. Physical fitness matters more here than grades.

2. 2

   Get on a crew

   Weeks to months

   Start as a mason tender or laborer. Mixing mortar, hauling stone, cleaning joints. It is how you get seen.

3. 3

   Apprenticeship or on-the-job training

   3 to 4 years

   Unions and contractor associations sponsor programs covering blueprint reading, math, building codes and safety alongside paid work.

4. 4

   Setting stone yourself

   From year 2

   You move from tending to laying: levels, lines, plumb bobs and pattern layout. This is where the craft actually starts.

5. 5

   Journeyman stonemason

   After 3 to 4 years

   Fully qualified. From here you can specialise in restoration, go into landscaping stonework, or start your own business.