Bricklayer Apprenticeship

This Bricklayer apprenticeship is suitable if you want to start a career or develop your existing skills in brickwork.  

An intermediate bricklaying apprenticeship is designed to develop a solid set of practical hand skills and technical knowledge required to work in the construction industry as a professional and competent bricklayer.  

You will learn to lay bricks, blocks and other types of building components in mortar and to construct and repair walls, foundations,
partitions, arches and other structures, as well as understand and work to all statutory safety requirements.

View our apprenticeship vacancies

You will acquire and develop the appropriate skills, knowledge and behaviours required for a bricklaying role. This will include:

• Types of construction methods, insulation considerations, sustainability, fire, moisture and air protection
• Mixing of mortars and concrete
• Setting out and building structures
• Radial and battered brickwork
• Feature and reinforced brickwork
• Fireplaces and chimneys
• Alternative construction techniques
• Cavity walling
• Energy efficiencies
• Interpreting drawings and specifications
• Working safely
• Communicating effectively and confidently

You will be expected to work independently and take responsibility for the outcome of your work, with support from your employer and
City College as the training provider.

There are three main Bricklaying orientated categories to this apprenticeship – Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours. More detailed information can be found on the apprenticeship standard website (new window).

As an apprentice, you can expect to undertake work-based learning with an employer and to be paid a wage.

You will attend college on a block release to ensure you get the support you need to succeed. The rest of the training will take place in the workplace with in-house training by the employer and an assessor who will visit you on-site.

City College’s construction workshops provide a fantastic learning environment with industry standard equipment and purpose-built workshops where you can learn everything you need for you to begin your bricklaying career. 

We also have industry expert tutors, who will be on hand to teach and guide you through and answer any questions you may have.

Candidates will typically have a minimum of GCSEs at grade 3/D or above (or equivalent) which must include English and maths. Evidence of this will need to be provided prior to starting your apprenticeship. Candidates without GCSE grade 4/C or above in English and maths (or level 2 functional skills) will need to take the tests for this level prior to taking their End Point Assessment (EPA).

To start an apprenticeship you will need an employer who is willing to take you on as an apprentice.  If you already have an employer please contact us. If you don't have an employer already, view our current apprenticeship vacancies. 

You will be required to attend a College interview prior to enrolling onto an apprenticeship.

You must be eligible to work in the United Kingdom.

Information for Employers

Off-the-job training

Each apprenticeship must include 20% off-the-job training, which amounts to 20% of the apprentice’s contracted employment hours across the whole apprenticeship.  Off-the-job training is any learning undertaken outside of the normal day-to-day working environment and leads towards the achievement of the apprenticeship.  Examples of this would be shadowing colleagues, attending supplier meetings, taking external courses, Toolbox talks etc.

End Point Assessment

Each apprentice will need to undertake an End Point Assessment (EPA) at the end of their apprenticeship.  It measures the skills, knowledge and behaviours each apprentice has developed.  

An apprentice can only take this assessment once all other aspects of the apprenticeship have been completed.  An apprentice needs to be completely ready to take this assessment and the employer and assessor will decide when the time is right.  A declaration will be signed by both the employer, apprentice and assessor.  If the apprentice fails the assessment, then there will be a re-sit charge, which is generally paid by the employer.

The EPA Consists of 3 assessment methods:

1) Knowledge Test - multiple choice test, consisting of 40 questions. Test is 60 mins                                          

2) Skills Test - Practical observation, lasting 6hrs (1 working day)                                                                 

3) Verbal Questioning (underpinned by portfolio).  This will last for 35 mins