Middle aged apprentice mason

[Bill Douglas]

You could get an ordinary job as a labourer for a brick laying company and see if you like it (can cut it). And that way you are not messing the employer about by wanting training then quitting.

However... A stone mason. Something more specialised may be easier on the body and pay better. For those that don't know, a stone mason builds those fancy stone walls and feature walls on the front of houses.

[herr_oberst]

If you do go ahead with this scheme, I hope that you'll document the journey here with weekly updates. Topics should include how you feel mentally and physically; the peccadilloes of the job and your co-workers, descriptions of your tasks, outside influences that affect the way you see the job, these can include the weather, the commute, the hours, how your friends and family feel about what you're doing, memories of the executive job you left behind, and your take on how well you think you are doing on the job overall.

(I know a lot of us from time to time have contemplated jumping off the treadmill and doing the honest labor man was meant for; not many have what it takes to make that leap)

Photos would be a plus!

[black73]

I think it's a great idea. Contact https://baclocal1.org/ and tell them your plans. If they aren't helpful try something else. Just know that a full day of physical work is a whole different type of being in shape than a gym workout.

I worked as brick laborer as a teen. I was young and dumb and...

anyway, it was strenuous work but I enjoyed it.

[KFC911]

Make sure your first week on the job is in August .... with 90% humidity!

...and the meager paycheck

There will be no second week

[Evans, Marv]

Originally Posted by look 171

I say learn as much as you can, and put in your time for a couple years, go out on your own and choose your own job instead of lifting blocks for someone else. Much more satisfactions on giving people what they want and see the result and the smiles on their faces.

This. I can imagine you could work at your own choices after putting in some time learning the trade. There are no doubt lots of people out there who have smaller jobs that might involve some creativity that would be too small for larger companies.

As for me, I wouldn't do it. I worked as a laborer in Westchester County, N.Y. at twenty years old. I would have to be young again to do something like that. I felt lucky to have been given the job of scheduling equipment & materials on job sites after some time.

[jhynesrockmtn]

I live in Spokane WA, second largest city in WA. We just spent a ton of time working to find a qualified stucco/plaster guy to do some work on a historic school building I work in part time. There's maybe 2 qualified guys in our whole area that can work on old school buildings like ours. Not bricklaying but close. If you can learn a trade, challenge your brain and become the best at what you do, you will be in demand. Good luck.

[wdfifteen]

I get it about masonry. There is art to every job and your skill and attention to detail is on display for decades. I wouldn’t want to lay block, but brick and stone - go for it.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by jhynesrockmtn

I live in Spokane WA, second largest city in WA. We just spent a ton of time working to find a qualified stucco/plaster guy to do some work on a historic school building I work in part time. There's maybe 2 qualified guys in our whole area that can work on old school buildings like ours. Not bricklaying but close. If you can learn a trade, challenge your brain and become the best at what you do, you will be in demand. Good luck.

Those guys are gone. Retired and not too many young guys are willing to learn. Everyone is into the fast buck. Down here in LA, they are still around but all are older who do this type of work. The hispanics are start to pick up some but most need to be told what and how to do it.

[cabmandone]

If you learn the trade and get good at it, you won't need or want to go back to the office job. A good mason will be in high demand.

[creaturecat]

stone mason, perhaps. it's a dying art
brickie? no way.

[porsche4life]

Hit the gym now! You need to be able to do hard labor for 8+ hours a day in the heat. You don’t realize how much a desk job softens you up until you are out trying to keep up with the tradesmen! They will wear your ass out.

[911 Rod]

Is 43 years old still middle age? lol

[BlueWing]

Not for the faint of heart. Beginner laborer is where you'll start. Not glamorous but is a way up. I know several masons and they can work circles around me. My good friend was still at it to his late sixties, worked smart not hard.

I decided to become a union electrician at 47 years old. A bit of a learning curve with me in a class of late teen to mid 20 year olds. Absolutely my best decision ever.

The experiences, comeradery, education bennies were all I was looking for, also it kept me from getting "soft". I don't need no gym.

Now retired from the IBEW with extraordinary benefits and memories.

Previously worked for Schlage Lock (retired as well) as a systems intergrater and wish I had spent more years in the IBEW than there.

Terry

[Captain Ahab Jr]

I do stone masonary as a hobby but my wife is better at it than me, I find it very relaxing and a satisfying activity

Especially when you stand back and can honestly say 'I built that, I built a thing!'

As people have said it is very hard on your body, my joints let me know this after a good days stone masonaring.

Think if I was going to learn a building trade I'd be an electrician or plasterer

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by Captain Ahab Jr

I'd be an electrician or plasterer

A plasterer, are you mad LOL

I've completely plastered about six houses and it's the job from hell - although I always seem to be doing it haha. I agree about the electrician thing. Less hard labour, more money..

[Alan A]

Originally Posted by JavaBrewer

Awesome that you have an opportunity to try this. However I agree with others here - masonry work is HEAVY. I worked a summer with a mason during high school and despite being in wrestling shape I was destroyed by the third day. All the materials are heavy and labor intensive to prepare and deliver. Having laid much tile in my homes I would prefer a less back breaking trade, YMMV. Good Luck!

Especially when it’s hot and humid.
I did the walls and path from the driveway to the front door myself in june. Nearly killed me...

[look 171]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

Is 43 years old still middle age? lol

By today's standard, they are just leaving their parent's basement.

[look 171]

For fun, then fine, chase after your dream. If for money, then you must ask, when was the last time you had a:

Electrican
Plasterer
Mason
Tile settler
plumber

some to your house? That answer is plumber.

I tell people, you might not like it and the two things plumbers need to know are, Friday's pay day and siht flows down hill. There will always be a need for plumbers in the older cities or town. Wires and switches normally do not wear out much. Once bricks are up, they wouldn't need much work to them unless you are in earthquake country. They normally are reinforced concrete buildings so there's that.

[ramonesfreak]

10 years ago when i was 40, i had a job loss and had an opportunity to work on a landscaping crew for a summer so i did it thinking, how hard can it be, i love being outside "I always wanted to do this YAAAAAAAY!". at the end of 5 months, i was in good physical shape but not before the job almost killed me. and being stuck in the truck with 20 and 30 year olds and having to take orders from these pricks and being given the worst tasks nobody else could tolerate made me highly dislike everything about anyone under 40. truly one of the worst years of my life. must be something they teach in the military because all 4 were vets and to be honest the biggest a hole rascist ignorant disrespectful selfish losers i have ever had to associate with. relentless angry bullies with poor judgment. im still made at myself for doing this. good luck --oh, and I hope they dont allow boom boxes on the job site because the music these kids blast all day will drive you to madness

made me appreciate my education and ability to make money using my brain

[sc_rufctr]

Sorry but at 43 why are you even considering this?

Slinging bricks is a young mans game.