OSCA 371131

Bricklayer

Overview

  • Employed persons

    16,900

  • Employment status

    75.4% Full time

    24.6% Part time

  • Median age

    38 years

  • Employment by sex

    0.8% Female

    99.2% Male

    Almost completely male dominated

  • Indigenous employment share

    2.9%

  • Main employing industry

    Construction

Indicator Bricklayer Total employment
Employed persons 16,900 12,049,400
Median age 38 years 40 years
Full-time share 75.4% 64.2%
Part-time share 24.6% 35.8%
Female employment share 0.8% 48.5%
Male employment share 99.2% 51.5%
Gender segregation intensity scale Almost completely male dominated Gender balanced
Indigenous employment share 2.9% 2.2%
Main employing industry Construction Health Care and Social Assistance
Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

Occupation overview

Bricklayers lay bricks, pre-cut stone and other types of building blocks in mortar to construct and repair walls, partition, arches, segmental paving and other structures.

What the occupation involves

  • Studies plans and specifications to determine materials required, dimensions and installation procedures
  • Erects and dismantles restricted height scaffolding
  • Seals foundations with damp-resistant materials and spreads layers of mortar to serve as base and binder for building blocks
  • Cuts building blocks using machines and hand tools, and shapes blocks to fit irregular spaces
  • Sets out blockwork and lays building blocks in rows, designs and shapes
  • Embeds building blocks in mortar ensuring construction is level, plumb and aligned, and removes excess mortar
  • Installs lintels and flashings to openings
  • Repairs and maintains bricks, cement blocks and related structures
  • May prepare base and bedding courses, and lay segmental paving

Common occupation titles

  • Blocklayer

Specialisations

  • Brick Paver
  • Refractory Bricklayer

Note: Specialisations are examples of roles in within this occupation and are not separate OSCA occupations.

Skill level (education and experience level)

Skill level 3
equivalent to a mid-level Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification (Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least 2 years’ on-the-job training).

Note: While skill levels are described using formal education levels, some people use a combination of informal learning, on-the-job training and personal experience to achieve an equivalent level.

Licensing or registration requirements

Registration or licensing may be required.

OSCA structure

Technicians and Trades Workers (3)

Employment

On this page

    Industries

    Top 10 most common industries, 2021

    Bricklayer Total employment
    Industry Share of occupation Industry Share of occupation
    Construction 94.5% Health Care and Social Assistance 14.5%
    Manufacturing 1.0% Retail Trade 9.1%
    Administrative and Support Services 0.3% Construction 8.9%
    Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services 0.3% Education and Training 8.8%
    Education and Training 0.2% Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 7.8%
    Mining 0.1% Public Administration and Safety 6.6%
    Public Administration and Safety 0.1% Accommodation and Food Services 6.5%
    Retail Trade 0.1% Manufacturing 5.9%
    Wholesale Trade 0.1% Transport, Postal and Warehousing 4.5%
    Accommodation and Food Services <0.1% Financial and Insurance Services 3.7%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

    States and territories

    Employment distribution by states and territories, 2021

    • New South Wales

      26.3%

    • Victoria

      30.2%

    • Queensland

      13.1%

    • South Australia

      6.9%

    • Tasmania

      2.2%

    • Northern Territory

      0.5%

    • Australian Capital Territory

      1.4%

    Bricklayer Total employment
    State / Territory Employment Share of occupation Employment Share of occupation
    New South Wales 4,400 26.3% 3,684,200 30.6%
    Victoria 5,100 30.2% 3,162,900 26.2%
    Queensland 2,200 13.1% 2,444,100 20.3%
    South Australia 1,200 6.9% 839,400 7.0%
    Western Australia 3,300 19.4% 1,306,200 10.8%
    Tasmania 370 2.2% 254,700 2.1%
    Northern Territory 80 0.5% 107,000 0.9%
    Australian Capital Territory 240 1.4% 248,600 2.1%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

    Age and sex

    Employment distibution by age group and sex, 2021

    Bricklayer

    Total employment

    Age group Bricklayer Total employment
    15–24 years 16.3% 14.3%
    25–34 years 25.9% 22.7%
    35–44 years 19.6% 22.3%
    45–54 years 18.2% 20.4%
    55–64 years 16.1% 15.3%
    65–74 years 3.7% 4.3%
    75 years and over 0.2% 0.6%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.
    Sex Bricklayer Total employment
    Female 0.8% 48.5%
    Male 99.2% 51.5%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

    On this page

      OSCA occupation profiles data

      This file contains data available from the OSCA Occupation Profile page.

      Use of this data must include the relevant attribution text provided.

      OSCA Occupation data - 2021 Census.xlsx

      xlsx 1236447

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      Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA)

      Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) is the skill-based classification used to categorise occupations across the Australian labour market. OSCA is used to define occupations across all official occupational statistics. OSCA replaces the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO).

      Each job is classified to one, and only one, group of jobs at each level of the classification with no overlaps. This prevents the accidental double-counting of roles within the Australian labour market. For more information about OSCA, visit the What is OSCA information page, or the ABS website.

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