Apprentice Stone Mason

BULLEN CONSERVATION LTD

OLDHAM (OL1 3NN)

Closes on Sunday 21 September 2025

Posted on 13 August 2025

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Contents

Summary

This is an excellent opportunity to work as an apprentice stone mason specialising in heritage skills with a conservation business based in Oldham.

Wage

£15,311.40 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Pay: £7.55–£9.00 per hour (dependent on age and experience)

Training course
Stonemason (level 2)
Hours
Monday to Thursday, 8.00am-4.30pm. Friday, 8.00am - 3.30pm . You will also attend York College for 2 week blocks.

39 hours a week

Start date

Wednesday 1 October 2025

Duration

2 years

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

As an apprentice stone mason specialising in heritage skills, you will be working towards the completion of your apprenticeship.

The apprenticeship is made up of on-the-job training with the business and off the job training based at York College.

You will learn the following: -

  • Health & safety on a construction site
  • Stone masonry tools & equipment appropriate to methods of work
  • Handling of materials
  • Environmental considerations
  • Developing the ability to carve decorative masonry
  • Opportunity to work on historic buildings throughout the north west
  • Gain extensive knowledge in conservation & restoration techniques

Where you'll work

LOWER HOUSE WORKS
LOWER HOUSE STREET
OLDHAM
OL1 3NN

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

YORK COLLEGE

Training course

Stonemason (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Core - Carry out safe stonemasonry working practices, comply with health, safety and welfare legislation, conduct risk assessments; Report any workplace hazards, incidents, near misses, accidents or emergencies.
  • Core - Apply all safeguards and complete pre-use checks when using tools.
  • Core - Select and use the appropriate tools, components and equipment; Repair and maintain tools, components and equipment.
  • Core - Plan the sequence of stonemasonry work required; Ensure work is completed safely within the allocated time and budget and report any situations which affect the work schedule.
  • Core - Select the required type and quantity of materials, move, handle and store safely.
  • Core - Set out and work stone to receive enrichments such as flat, moulded, straight and curved, internal and external mitres, stop ends and returned ends.
  • Banker Stonemason - Produce enrichments for example repeated enrichment (egg and dart, or tongue and dart, or bead and reel), v-cut carving, high relief carving or low relief carving.
  • Core - Position and secure the stones in the required locations and identify bedding planes to suit the use of the stone component; When securing stone, ensure correct measurement, marking out, shape, level, fit, finish and position.
  • Core - Comply with specific organisational and manufacturer's quality standards as required by the job specification and report any variation in quality, implementing agreed corrective actions where required.
  • Core - Clean and tidy work area when work is finished; Store, transport and dispose of masonry waste; Reduce, reuse or recycle waste produced; Use work practices and resources which will contribute to zero/low carbon outcomes
  • Core - Communicate with colleagues/customers; use industry terminology.
  • Core - Ensure the products are the right size and fit to meet the design specification.
  • Banker Stonemason - Measure, mark out, cut and finish standard templates or moulds.
  • Banker Stonemason - Produce true and square natural stone components.
  • Banker Stonemason - Prepare, conserve, repair or refurbish existing stone masonry by replicating, removing, replacing or stabilising the existing structure; prepare mortars, joint finishing and applying surface finishes, all of which match existing masonry as close as possible or are in line with the conservation plan.
  • Banker Stonemason - Produce basic section bed and face moulds for natural stone components.
  • Banker Stonemason - Produce bespoke natural stone components: for example shaped curved on plan, tracery, ramp and twist, spheres, entablature, ionic components or finials
  • Interior Stone Fixer - Check and prepare existing internal surfaces to receive stonework; apply pre-sealants, water and solvent based final sealants and protection.
  • Interior Stone Fixer - Mix and apply mortar and sand renders, adhesives and grouts, substrates and screeds (including self-levelling); install thermal, movement and expansion joints.
  • Interior Stone Fixer - Form angles, reveals, cills and soffits, floor drainage and outlets; install membranes and lay natural stone flooring to regular and irregular surfaces, fix trims and movement joints including treads, risers and landings; fix internal stonework to vertical, horizontal and inclined wall and floor surfaces; fit internal treads, risers and work surfaces.
  • Interior Stone Fixer/Exterior Stone Fixer - Grout, seal, clean, secure and finish stonework; bed, joint and point natural stone flooring, match finishes where possible and fix accessories (e.g. wire restraint fixings, channels) to wall slabs.
  • Exterior Stone Fixer - Prepare backgrounds for load bearing support and restraint systems, insulation (e.g. membranes and fire stops), cavity trays and damp proof membranes (DPM); apply waterproof sealants to background surfaces; install and remove mechanical fixings, shims and spacers.
  • Exterior Stone Fixer - Install and fix external cladding with load-bearing support and restraint systems; repair or replace defective stone cladding as required; identify and mix mortars, resins and adhesives; identify and fix suitable reinforcements and fixings; form suitable joint finishes which are sympathetic to existing building.
  • Memorial Stonemason/Stone Facade Preservation - Prepare and mix lime mortars, hydraulic and non-hydraulic limes, lime mortars with additives or lime mortars with fibres (natural or synthetic) as appropriate.
  • Memorial Stonemason - Install and secure memorial stones, ensuring that ground and surface conditions are checked and recorded, area is excavated and foundations are laid.
  • Memorial Stonemason - Mark out, position, inscribe, ornament and finish details on memorial stones; produce and use templates for sandblasting; safely use sandblasting equipment to produce details, lettering and ornamentation; finish memorial work using gilding and hand polishing.
  • Stone Facade Preservation - Dismantle facade surfaces to allow for safe and effective cleaning and preservation; brush, use jets and sprays to clean facades; effectively clean flat, textured & moulded stone and art stone using chemical and non-chemical methods; effectively clean non-masonry surfaces e.g. burnt clay, cast stone, metal, plastic, plastic-coated materials, wood, glass by chemical and non-chemical methods.
  • Stone Facade Preservation – Measure, mark out, cut, fit, mix, spread, dress, descale, point, position and secure when restoring façade surfaces; Restore in-situ units, façades and joints on flat, textured and moulded natural stone and on burnt clay, art stone and concrete.
  • Heritage Stonemason - Collect records using photographic, written or digital collection methods prior to any work being carried out.
  • Heritage Stonemason - Drill and cut stone backgrounds to receive fixings sympathetic to the existing condition of heritage masonry; safely form openings which conform to the requirements for heritage planning and buildings regulations.
  • Heritage Stonemason - Apply conservation techniques to maintain heritage and archaeological accuracy, using heritage techniques and procedures where appropriate, with minimum intervention and minimum reversible alterations.
  • Heritage Stonemason - Match new masonry components with existing structures and incorporate pre-prepared conservation masonry components; Finish by applying hand cut ornamentation or lettering where required.
  • Core - Carry out safe stonemasonry working practices, comply with health, safety and welfare legislation, conduct risk assessments; Report any workplace hazards, incidents, near misses, accidents or emergencies.
  • Core - Apply all safeguards and complete pre-use checks when using tools.
  • Core - Select and use the appropriate tools, components and equipment; Repair and maintain tools, components and equipment.
  • Core - Plan the sequence of stonemasonry work required; Ensure work is completed safely within the allocated time and budget and report any situations which affect the work schedule.
  • Core - Select the required type and quantity of materials, move, handle and store safely.
  • Core - Set out and work stone to receive enrichments such as flat, moulded, straight and curved, internal and external mitres, stop ends and returned ends.
  • Banker Stonemason - Produce enrichments for example repeated enrichment (egg and dart, or tongue and dart, or bead and reel), v-cut carving, high relief carving or low relief carving.
  • Core - Position and secure the stones in the required locations and identify bedding planes to suit the use of the stone component; When securing stone, ensure correct measurement, marking out, shape, level, fit, finish and position.
  • Core - Comply with specific organisational and manufacturer's quality standards as required by the job specification and report any variation in quality, implementing agreed corrective actions where required.
  • Core - Clean and tidy work area when work is finished; Store, transport and dispose of masonry waste; Reduce, reuse or recycle waste produced; Use work practices and resources which will contribute to zero/low carbon outcomes
  • Core - Communicate with colleagues/customers; use industry terminology.
  • Core - Ensure the products are the right size and fit to meet the design specification.

Training schedule

You will work towards the Level 2 Stone Mason qualification.

This apprenticeship will give you the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to work as a stonemason and this will include the following:

  • Health and safety to include Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, Manual Handling and Working at Height Regulations, use of PPE etc.
  • Select, use and maintain tools, components and equipment appropriate to the task being carried out
  • Interpret the appropriate work plan for the job, taking into account factors such as building age, listed status, accessibility, quality of surrounding structures, other trades in the work area, customers and related legislation and regulations
  • Identify and confirm masonry requirements against surveys, job sheets, specifications and drawings/CAD, and in accordance with Building Regulations
  • Locate, handle, store, load, transport and position materials and tools safely, minimising damage, ready for installation and, where applicable, in accordance with health and safety regulations
  • Produce or repair standard architectural enrichments, prepare backgrounds to receive masonry and set out basic masonry on buildings/structures
  • Prepare backgrounds to receive stone cladding and set out basic external stonemasonry on heritage buildings/structures and conserve or restore existing stonemasonry, brickwork or earthen structures on Heritage Structures using appropriate heritage techniques and following conservation ethics and procedures

This will include both on-the-job training with the business and off-the-job training with block release to York College.

You will also produce a portfolio of evidence demonstrating examples of your work throughout the apprenticeship.

If you do not have GCSE English and/or maths at grade 4/C or above, you will be required to study Functional Skills in these subjects, which are delivered as a separate block release.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 3)
  • Maths (grade 3)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience
  • Physical fitness

Other requirements

This will involve working outdoors and you will be required to wear PPE.

About this employer

Established in 2004, Bullen Conservation Ltd are a heritage stonemasonry company specialising in historic & ecclesiastical properties.

http://www.bullenconservation.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

  • Full-time, permanent position as a qualified stone mason upon successful completion of the apprenticeship

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

YORK COLLEGE

apprenticeships@yorkcollege.ac.uk

01904 770368

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000336934.

Apply now

Closes on Sunday 21 September 2025

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