The route, drawn out
DWG FA88 · 5 stops · 2 years to qualify-
Day one Start as an apprentice from £15.6k
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Year 2 Training continues, pay rises min. £21.2k+
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2 years Fully qualified around £27k
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+3–5 years Experienced up to £42k
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Then Your own business you set the rate
The first figures are legal minimums: the apprentice rate (£8.00/hr) and the National Minimum Wage for 18–20s and 21+ from April 2026, on a 37.5-hour week. Qualified and experienced pay are indicative UK ranges — most employers pay apprentices above the minimum.
What the job is
Stonemasonry divides into banker masonry (cutting and carving stone in a workshop) and fixer masonry (setting it on the building). Much of the work is conservation: cathedrals, churches, listed buildings and period properties that need like-for-like repair.
It is a small trade with an ageing workforce, which makes qualified masons genuinely scarce. The skills are ancient and the work is visible for centuries, which is not something most jobs offer.
A typical day
- Work from templates and drawings to mark out stone
- Cut, dress and carve stone using hand and power tools
- Set and bed stone accurately on the building
- Match and repair existing masonry and mortar
- Use lime mortars appropriately on historic structures
How you get in
- No formal qualifications required, though art or craft ability helps
- Patience — stone does not forgive a mistake
- Some employers ask for a practical aptitude test
- CSCS card for site work
Where it leads
- Advanced stonemason (level 3) and conservation qualifications
- Banker mason, carver or fixer specialisms
- Heritage conservation work with cathedral workshops or specialist contractors
- Self-employed restoration work
Where to train for this
13 colleges and training providers on our list cover Stonemason training. Open your region to see them, then check current intakes with the provider directly.