TAFE NSW has responded to industry calls for skilled stonemasons after the trade has experienced a skills shortage for more than six consecutive years.

TAFE NSW Miller is offering a Certificate III in Stonemasonry in 2021 to help students learn the hands-on skills in the highly-specialised and timeless trade.

As the only Registered Training Organisation in NSW to deliver stonemasonry courses, TAFE NSW Miller has attracted students from all over the state to study in the state-of-the-art stonemason and bricklaying facility.

TAFE NSW Head Teacher in Stonemasonry, Michael Landers (pictured below), said now was a great time to become an apprentice with the NSW Government subsidising the cost of training under their Fee Free Apprenticeship Initiative.

Mr Landers started an apprenticeship in the trade in 1989, where he became the only registered stonemason in NSW. He has since worked on major projects including the restoration of St Mary’s Cathedral and a commissioned Coat Of Arms for the Governor General, as well as helped develop the state’s first stonemasonry course.

“There has never been a better time to start a stonemasonry apprenticeship, particularly with industry crying out for skilled workers. I’ve never had a past student tell me they can’t find work,” Mr Landers said.

“Stonemasonry is very much an artisan trade requiring delicate hands-on skills but it has also evolved and become dynamic to incorporate cutting-edge technology as demand for stoneworks increases.”

Mr Landers said stonemasonry is an undying trade that will always be required.

“Whether its restoring old heritage buildings, building a fireplace in a new home or carving out a tombstone in cemeteries, there is always ongoing work making stonemasonry a timeless trade,” Mr Landers said.

To enrol in a stonemasonry course at TAFE NSW, visit www.tafensw.edu.au, or call 131 601

Media Contact: Jessica Cortis, TAFE NSW Communications Specialist.

https://docs.employment.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/331112stonemasonaus_5.pdf