Singaporean Considering Bricklaying as a Career

3 Comments


Hi Nix,
I'm making the move over next year and am mulling over jobs.
I was thinking of taking up bricklaying but am not sure if it'll feed my family of 4.
I kinda recall you having a friend who is a bricklayer and was wondering if it's be possible to ask him some questions along the lines of;
1) How to go about becoming a bricklayer. I've checked some websites (namely http://www.abbtf.com.au/whats-involved/apprentice-pay-rates-and-conditions/) that talked about a 4 year apprenticeship. That's pretty long.
2) What kind of hourly pay am I looking at?
3) Is work regular or hard to come by?
4) Working hours that I can expect? Would still love to have time for the family.
Thanks in advance.

Curious,


Hi Curious,


I've checked with Stephen and these are what I've gathered.


1) If you are not a PR, you need to take up a 2 year full time course in bricklaying. The student visa allows you to work up to 20 hours per week, in which it is highly recommended to take up a labourer job in a bricklaying team to gain experience as well as building up a good network. 


If you are a PR, you can take up a course to learn the trade or you can head straight to the work site and look for someone to employ you as a labourer and work yourself up. If you take up a bricklaying course to learn the basics, unlike international students, you can work more than 20 hours a week outside your course hours if you can time manage yourself that well.


Bear in mind this is a trade and in this field, only your work counts, not your qualifications. If you are able to learn quickly and be proficient in bricklayer, you don't have to go through a bricklaying course. You can get yourself certified as a bricklayer after 4 years of working experience. On the other hand, you may not get a good bricklayer career even if you have attended a 2 year bricklaying course. So it's your call.


An apprenticeship program is usually for teenagers right after they leave high school and their allowances are much lower than a working adult rate. It is probably not the right program to look at.


2) The pay is about $150 a day as a labourer. The wages of a bricklayer ranges from $180 to $400 a day, depending on knowledge and skill.


3) At the moment, there is still a demand for bricklayers, so work will be easy to find for a hardworking and reliable bricklayer.


4) The working hours are normally from 7am to 3.30 or 4pm, subjected to changes according to seasons.

3 comments:

  1. Louise14 July 2015 at 15:37

    I think I can add to this Nix. On top of a bricklaying qualification, it would be also vital to expand skills in the same industry as well. For example, if one also possesses skills and a license to operate machinery. It increases employability too. -L

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  2. IMHO15 July 2015 at 15:21

    Try something healthcare e.g. nurse. Bricklayers may not be on the list when you have finished your course.

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  3. Donald Kuok22 July 2015 at 08:57

    Bricklayering may be a good pay like what people said. Pay could be even higher than office workers. But think twice to your health. Big money may not even cover your health issue caused by the work at the later stage of your life.

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