Variant of NOC 2011 - Analysis by skill level
b - NOC skill level B: occupations usually require college education or apprenticeship training
72 - Industrial, electrical and construction trades
728 - Masonry and plastering trades
7281 - Bricklayers
Bricklayers lay bricks, concrete blocks, stone and other similar materials to construct or repair walls, arches, chimneys, fireplaces and other structures in accordance with blueprints and specifications. They are employed by construction companies and bricklaying contractors or they may be self-employed.
Illustrative example(s)
- apprentice bricklayer
- bricklayer
- brickmason
- refractory bricklayer
- stonecutter
- stonemason
Exclusion(s)
- Concrete finishers (7282)
- Supervisors of bricklayers (See 7205 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers)
- Tilesetters (7283)
Main duties
Bricklayers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Read sketches and blueprints to calculate materials required
- Cut and trim bricks and concrete blocks to specification using hand and power tools
- Prepare and lay bricks, concrete blocks, stone, structural tiles and similar materials to construct or repair walls, foundations and other structures in residential, industrial and commercial construction
- Lay bricks or other masonry units to build residential or commercial chimneys and fireplaces
- Lay radial bricks to build masonry shells of industrial chimneys
- Lay or install firebricks to line industrial chimneys and smokestacks
- Line or reline furnaces, kilns, boilers and similar installations using refractory or acid-resistant bricks, refractory concretes, plastic refractories and other materials
- Lay bricks, stone or similar materials to provide veneer facing to walls or other surfaces
- Construct and install prefabricated masonry units
- Lay bricks or other masonry units to build patios, garden walls and other decorative installations
- May restore, clean or paint existing masonry structures.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a three- to four-year apprenticeship program
or
A combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in bricklaying is usually required to be eligible for trade certification. - Trade certification for bricklayers is compulsory in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Quebec and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces and the Yukon.
- Trade certification for stonemasons is available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Trade certification for restoration stone masons is available, but voluntary, in Nova Scotia.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified bricklayers upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Additional information
- The Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility.
- Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
7282 - Concrete finishers
Concrete finishers smooth and finish freshly poured concrete, apply curing or surface treatments and install, maintain and restore various masonry structures such as foundations, floors, ceilings, sidewalks, roads, patios and highrise buildings. They are employed by construction companies, cement and concrete contractors and manufacturers of precast concrete products, or they may be self-employed.
Illustrative example(s)
- cement finisher apprentice
- cement mason
- concrete finisher
- concrete mason
- precast concrete finisher
Exclusion(s)
- Bricklayers (7281)
- Concrete products machine operators (See 9414 Concrete, clay and stone forming operators)
- Supervisors of concrete finishers (See 7205 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers)
Main duties
Concrete finishers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Check formwork, granular base and steel reinforcement materials and direct placement of concrete into forms or onto surfaces according to grade
- Fill hollows and remove high spots to smooth freshly poured concrete
- Operate power vibrator to compact concrete
- Level top surface of concrete according to grade and depth specifications using straightedge or float
- Impart desired finish to concrete surfaces using hand and power tools
- Install anchor bolts, steel plates, door sills and other fixtures in freshly poured concrete
- Apply hardening and sealing compounds to cure surface of concrete
- Waterproof, damp-proof and restore concrete surfaces
- Repair, resurface and replace worn or damaged sections of floors, walls, roads and other concrete structures.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a two- to four-year apprenticeship program
or
Over three years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in cement finishing are usually required to be eligible for trade certification. - Trade certification for concrete finishers is compulsory in Quebec and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia.
- Trade certification for cement masons is available, but voluntary, in Ontario.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified concrete finishers upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Additional information
- The Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility.
- Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
7283 - Tilesetters
Tilesetters cover interior and exterior walls, floors and ceilings with ceramic, marble and quarry tile, mosaics or terrazzo. They are employed by construction companies and masonry contractors, or they may be self-employed.
Illustrative example(s)
- apprentice tilesetter
- ceramic tile installer
- marble setter
- terrazzo polisher
- terrazzo worker
- tile installer
- tilesetter
Exclusion(s)
- Bricklayers (7281)
- Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers (7284)
- Supervisors of tilesetters (See 7205 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers)
Main duties
Tilesetters perform some or all of the following duties:
- Prepare, measure and mark surface to be covered
- Build underbeds and install anchor bolts, wires and brackets
- Mix, apply and spread mortar, cement, mastic, glue or other adhesives using hand trowel
- Set tiles in position and apply pressure to affix tiles to base
- Align and straighten tile using levels, squares and straightedges
- Cut and fit tiles around obstacles and openings using hand and power cutting tools
- Pack grout into joints between tiles and remove excess grout
- Install tile strips
- Lay and set mosaic tiles to create decorative wall, mural and floor designs
- Mix, lay and polish terra surfaces
- Cut, polish and install marble and granite
- Remove and replace cracked or damaged tiles
- May prepare cost estimates and orders.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a three- or four-year apprenticeship program
or
A combination of over three years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in tilesetting is usually required to be eligible for trade certification. - Trade certification for tilesetters is compulsory in Quebec and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified tilesetters upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Additional information
- The Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility.
- Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
7284 - Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers
Plasterers apply finish, and maintain and restore plaster or similar materials, on interior and exterior walls, ceilings and building partitions to produce plain or decorative surfaces. Drywall installers and finishers install and finish drywall sheets and various types of ceiling systems. Lathers install support framework for ceiling systems, interior and exterior walls and building partitions. They are employed by construction companies and by plastering, drywalling and lathing contractors, or they may be self-employed.
Illustrative example(s)
- acoustical ceiling installer
- ceiling installer
- drywall applicator
- drywall finisher
- drywall installer and finisher apprentice
- drywall taper
- lather
- lather (interior systems mechanic)
- lather apprentice
- plasterer
- plasterer apprentice
- sheetrock applicator
- wood lather
Exclusion(s)
- Supervisors of trade workers in this unit group (See 7205 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers)
Main duties
Plasterers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Clean and prepare surfaces
- Mix plaster ingredients in trough to desired consistency
- Apply, level and smooth coats of plaster using trowels, floats, brushes and spraying equipment
- Trowel or spray coats of stucco over exteriors of buildings to form weatherproof surfaces
- Finish corners and angles and create decorative designs in finish coat, if required
- Cure freshly plastered surfaces
- Mould and install ornamental plaster panels, cornices and trim
- Spray acoustic materials or texture finish over walls and ceilings.
Drywall installers and finishers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Measure, cut and fit drywall sheets for installation on walls and ceilings
- Position and secure sheets to metal or wooden studs or joists
- Cut and install metal corner beads to protect exterior corners
- Fill joints, nail indentations, holes and cracks with joint compound using trowel and broad knife
- Tape over joints using taping machine and embed tape in compound
- Smooth out excess compound and allow coat to dry
- Apply successive coats of compound and sand seams and joints
- Fabricate and install suspended metal ceiling grids and place in panels to form acoustical and coffered ceilings.
Lathers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Prepare wall and ceiling layouts
- Install metal stud framing and furring for interior drywall or plaster walls and ceilings, using hand and power tools
- Attach metal or gypsum lath to studs or furring using nails, screws, clips or wire ties
- Cut openings in lath for heating and ventilation piping, ducts and electrical outlets
- Install corner beads and wire mesh around beams to which plaster is to be applied
- May install acoustic tile, hangers for suspended ceilings and metal studs for composition wallboard or lath.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a three- or four-year apprenticeship program in plastering, drywalling or lathing
or
A combination of over three years of work experience and some high school, college or industry courses in plastering, drywalling or lathing is usually required. - Plasterer trade certification is compulsory in Quebec and available, but voluntary, in Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.
- Drywall installer and finisher trade certification is available, but voluntary, in British Columbia.
- Trade certification for lathers (interior systems mechanics) is compulsory in Quebec and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces and the Yukon.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified lathers (interior systems mechanic) upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Additional information
- The Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility.
- Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
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