High School

As with many jobs, if you want to work as a cement mason you will have an advantage if you have been to high school or have a GED. Take mathematics courses, and choose shop classes like mechanical drawing and blueprint reading if your school offers these; if it does not offer these specifically, ask your teachers which classes are similar to them. It may also help you on the job if you have taken core courses like English and general science and have a driver's license.

Sometimes, a high school diploma may not be required, but you should have at least taken some kind of vocational-technical classes. If you have no special skills or experience, you might find work as a helper and gradually learn the trade informally over an unspecified number of years by working with experienced masons. In considering applicants for helper jobs, most employers prefer to hire people who are at least 18 and in good physical condition.

Postsecondary Training

It is recommended that you first train as an apprentice to acquire the necessary skills for being a cement mason because apprenticeships provide balanced, in-depth training. Such full-time programs often last two to three years, and they are usually jointly sponsored by local contractors and unions. If you want to apply for an apprenticeship program, you might need to be approved by the local joint labor-management apprenticeship committee. You also might have to take a written test and pass a physical examination.

Training consists of a combination of planned work experience and classroom instruction. On the job as an apprentice, you will learn about the tools and materials of the trade, layout work and finishing techniques, grinding and paving, and job safety. Further classroom instruction involves around 144 hours each year in such related subjects as mathematics, blueprint reading, architectural drawing, procedures for estimating materials and costs, and local building regulations. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age to enter apprenticeship programs.

Some aspiring cement masons participate in pre-apprenticeship programs (which last six to 12 weeks in the U.S.) before entering an apprenticeship program. These programs given them a chance to explore the field before committing to an apprenticeship. The International Masonry Training and Education Foundation provides pre-apprenticeship training in the trowel trades: brick, stone, tile, marble, terrazzo, refractory, plaster, cement, and pointing/cleaning/caulking. The National Association of Home Builders offers a masonry pre-apprenticeship certificate training program through the Home Builders Institute. Contact these organizations for more information.

Students can also train for the field by earning a certificate, diploma, and/or an associate degree in masonry construction from a community or technical college. These programs are sometimes affiliated with apprenticeship programs, or they are independent. Others receive their training on the job or in the military.

Other Education or Training

The Associated General Contractors of America, International Masonry Institute, The Masonry Society, and Mason Contractors Association of America provide continuing education opportunities for stone workers. Contact these organizations for more information.

Certification or Licensing

There are no certification or licensing requirements for cement masons.

To obtain experience, try to work as a helper to a cement mason. It will take up to three years to become a journeyman cement mason.

As a cement mason, you will be involved in a great amount of physical, often strenuous, work. You may be required to show your physical fitness by, for example, lifting a 100-pound sack of sand to your shoulder height and carrying it 50 feet.

You should enjoy doing demanding work and be disciplined and motivated enough to do your job without close and constant supervision. The ability to get along with coworkers is important, as most cement masons work in teams. Also, you should have a valid driver's license.