How to Become a Bricklayer in Australia

A Complete Step-by-Step Guide for International Students

Walk through any new housing estate on the outskirts of Melbourne and bricklayers are usually the first trade you notice on site. Brick veneer is still the standard wall system for Australian homes, so every subdivision, apartment block, and renovation needs someone who can read a plan and lay a true, level course of masonry. It is physical work and it is precise work, and right now the country does not have enough people who can do it well.

Institutions like Genesis International College provide the vocational training that helps students build the foundation required to enter the Australian construction workforce.

This guide explains everything step by step, from study pathways to licensing and employment opportunities.

Step-by-Step Guide

A bricklayer builds and repairs structures using bricks, blocks, and other masonry materials, working from site plans to keep every wall, corner, and course square and level.

• ✓Reading and interpreting building plans and specifications
• ✓Setting out foundations and laying masonry walls, piers, and corners
• ✓Mixing mortar and finishing joints to a consistent standard
• ✓Working safely with scaffolding and both hand and power tools

The recognised qualification for this trade in Australia is the:

It covers 28 units in total: 20 core units on skills like reading plans, laying masonry walls and corners, and working safely at heights, plus 8 elective units chosen from a bank of 26 that let students specialise in areas such as paving, cavity brick construction, or heritage masonry repair.

Choosing where you study matters as much as choosing the course. At Genesis International College, students train in workshops set up to reflect real construction sites, under trainers who have worked as tradespeople themselves.

• ✓Hands-on practice with real brick, block, and mortar
• ✓Small class sizes so trainers can correct technique early

Classroom learning only gets a bricklayer so far. Time on an active site, working alongside licensed tradespeople, is where students learn to judge a level course by eye, keep pace on a wall, and work around scaffolding, deliveries, and other trades without slowing the job down.

Most people complete this qualification through an apprenticeship, typically 3 to 4 years, combining paid on-site work with structured training days at college. It is a slower route than full-time study, but you earn a wage the entire time and finish with several years of genuine site experience already behind you.

• ✓Wages increase each year as your skills and responsibility grow
• ✓An employer sponsors your training and signs off your progress
• ✓You finish with a trade qualification and no study debt

Before you can set foot on most Australian construction sites, you need a General Construction Induction Card, known as a White Card. In Victoria, tradespeople carrying out certain domestic building work also need to register with the Building and Plumbing Commission (formerly the Victorian Building Authority), which checks your qualifications, practical experience, and probity before granting registration. Requirements differ by state, so check the rules where you plan to work.

Qualified bricklayers work for volume home builders, commercial construction companies, and heritage restoration specialists, and many eventually go out on their own as subcontractors once they have built up a track record. Genesis International College maintains links with local building companies and helps students make the connections that lead to that first job on the tools.

Career Outlook in Australia

Victoria’s outer growth corridors, from the suburbs around South Morang to regional centres like Geelong and Ballarat, keep adding new housing every year, and every new estate needs bricklayers from the first slab to the last course.

Strong Earning Potential & Career Progression

Bricklayers in Australia typically earn between $46,000 and $91,000 a year depending on experience, location, and whether they work as an employee or run their own business, with full-time workers reporting median earnings of around $61,000 a year. Rates climb from there for supervisors, specialists in heritage or commercial work, and established subcontractors setting their own prices.

• →Move from apprentice to fully qualified tradesperson, then leading hand or site supervisor
• →Register as an independent subcontractor once you have the experience to set your own rates
• →Specialise in heritage restoration or large commercial projects, which pay a premium for the skill

Interested in the Certificate III in Bricklaying and Blocklaying?

General Entry Requirements

• →Must be at least 18 years of age
• →Completion of the equivalent of Year 12
• →English proficiency: IELTS 6.0 or equivalent
• →Participation in a course entry interview and LLND test

View Course Details

Why Choose Genesis International College?

Ready to Build Your Future?

Ready to Start Your Bricklaying Career?

Don’t miss your chance to join one of Australia’s most in-demand trades.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need previous building experience to start this course?

No. The Certificate III in Bricklaying and Blocklaying is designed to take you from the basics through to a full trade qualification, though you will need to meet the standard entry requirements listed above.

How long does it take to become a qualified bricklayer?

Most students complete the qualification in 54 weeks, though the exact timeframe depends on your study load, prior experience, and whether any units are credited toward the course.

What is the difference between bricklaying and blocklaying?

Bricklaying uses standard clay or concrete bricks, usually for house walls, feature walls, and paving. Blocklaying uses larger concrete masonry blocks, common in retaining walls, boundary fences, and commercial buildings. The Certificate III covers both, so graduates can move between the two as jobs require.

Can international students study this course at Genesis International College?

Yes. GIC supports international students through enrolment, visa conditions, and settling into study and site work in Australia. Contact our admissions team to talk through your specific circumstances before you apply.