Bricklayer

You’d build and repair walls, chimneys, tunnel linings and archways to make people’s homes and other buildings safe,and protected from the weather.

You might also refurbish brickwork and masonry to restore old buildings.

It’s likely that you’d work on extensions to people’s homes to give them more room without moving house.

You would:

• Read the engineers’ or architects’ plan
• Measure the work area
• Set out the first rows of bricks (courses) and the damp course
• Mix mortar by hand or with a mechanical mixer
• Lay the bricks on top of each other and apply the mortar with a trowel
• Shape and trim bricks using hammers, chisels and power tools
• Check that courses are straight and level using water or laser spirit levels and plumb lines.

On larger jobs, your team - or gang - would work on a particular section of a building alongside other bricklaying gangs. You’d need to be aware of safety issues, particularly when working at heights and carrying loads.

You might also do ornamental brickwork or decorative stonework to add interest to walls and buildings and make them look good. Or you might specialise in stonemasonry work.