The bricklaying trade builds the country brick by brick: façades, foundations, chimneys, tiling and plaster. It is a craft with a visible result, a strong sense of teamwork on site and a straight path from apprentice to journeyman — with pay during training. Here is why you should consider the trade.
A bricklayer builds masonry and casts concrete — facades and backing walls, foundations and plinths, chimneys, stairs, tiles and render. You work with brick, blocks, mortar and concrete, and you watch your work rise out of the ground over the course of the day. It is a physical trade with precision in it: plumb, level, line and diagonal measurements have to be right, and a neat, regular course of brickwork is something to be proud of.
§Why this trade in particular?
Because there is building, renovating and maintenance going on everywhere — and masonry lasts for generations. The trade combines routine and brainwork: you measure up, work out brick and mortar consumption, choose the bond and joint and carry it out neatly and durably. You earn pay during your training, and the path from apprentice to journeyman is clear.
- 01A visible result — you go home and can point to a wall you have built.
- 02Pay during training — you earn from day one of the work placement.
- 03A broad trade — façade, foundation, tiling, plastering, renovation and restoration.
- 04Solidarity — you work in a crew and help each other get ahead.
- 05Career path — from apprentice to journeyman and on to foreman, supervisor or your own business.
§What must you be able to do — and learn?
You need to be able to read a drawing, set out corners and string lines, lay brick in bond with even joints, mix mortar correctly, cast and reinforce foundations, render and point — and take off material quantities, so that neither too little nor too much is ordered. Bricklayer is a vocational programme (EUD): you alternate between school and an apprenticeship at a company.
- 01Bond and joints — pattern, coursing and even perpend and bed joints.
- 02Mortar and concrete — mixing, curing and cold-weather measures.
- 03Measurement — bricks/m², mortar and concrete volume from the actual dimensions.
- 04Foundation — excavation, formwork, reinforcement and casting.
- 05Render and finish — substrate, layer build-up and screeding.
§How you get started
Start the basic course (grundforløb) at a vocational college and find an apprenticeship at a bricklaying firm. You don't need to know it all in advance — you just need to enjoy working with your hands and making something that lasts. If you want to get a feel for the trade first, create a free account and browse the articles, calculators and posts here.
“The best thing about the trade is that you make something that lasts a hundred years. When the façade stands plumb with neat joints, everyone can see it's proper work.”