Brick by Brick

Brick by Brick

MASONRY CONFERENCE by Robin Hartill | Contributing Writer

Florida's masons gathered on Lido Beach last weekend to

compete for the title of the state's best and fastest brick layers.

They need every ounce of strength as they lift stacks of bricks and trowel concrete, ignoring tears of sweat dripping off them the morning of Aug. 10, in the sweltering heat of the Lido Beach Resort's parking garage.

Strength is key, as is endurance.

The 24 men have been working for two hours and still have two to go.

But it's not the strongest man who wins - it's the most skilled.

They're competing in the Masonry Association of Florida's Apprentice Competition at its annual state conference, this year hosted by the Tampa Bay chapter.

During the four-hour competition, the men lay each brick carefully in an effort to replicate one of three structures, depending on their apprenticeship level. Their careful attention to every detail is important, for craftsmanship will determine the winner.

Meanwhile, on the parking level below the apprentice competition, the Fastest Trowel Competition gets ready to begin, and experienced masons jog in place to warm up for their competition. Cheered on by their friends and families, their goal is quantity and quality. They'll lay as many cinder blocks as they can in 20 minutes.

These are high-stakes games. Winners get bragging rights and a medal, along with the chance to compete at the next level of each competition, which for some is the national competition.

Winners of the Fastest Trowel Competition also take home $1,000 cash. But winning isn't the only thing.

"I tell my guys winning the competition isn't the answer," said Apprenticeship Coordinator Ed Robertson, who teaches masonry at Pinellas Technical Education Centers. "They can feed their families and support themselves."

For the apprentices, the ticket to a better future is the real prize.

The Florida Masonry Apprentice & Educational Foundation Inc. offers a three-year masonry apprenticeship that allows students to learn through on-the-job training and classes. Proceeds from the weekend conference benefit the apprenticeship program. With the help of state funding, the non-profit organization provides apprenticeship training for free. Students are only responsible for the costs of study materials.

"It's an alternative for kids that might not be going on to college," said Dave Luebs, president of the Tampa Bay Area Masonry Contractors Association. "They can learn a trade and earn a better living than they would flipping burgers."

According to Luebs, starting pay for a mason averages $20 to $22 an hour in Florida.

To take advantage of the classes, students must have transportation and be at least 18 years old.

The broad access to the program creates a diverse group of apprentices. Currently, the program has apprentices ranging in age from 18 to 50.

Greg McCarthy, 31, graduated with a degree in real estate finance from the University of North Florida. He began working as a real estate appraiser, but was miserable sitting behind a desk. With four generations of masons in his family, McCarthy decided to continue the family tradition.

"I decided to get into the business from the bottom up," McCarthy said. "I'm finally doing something I think is right."

Other apprentices, like Terrance Webb, 28, decided to specialize after working in construction.

"I started working construction at 18 and stuck with it and stuck with it," said Webb, who's currently finishing his first year of the apprenticeship. "I can go to work and be happy."

The need for masons slowed slightly with the recent turndown in the construction and real estate markets, but work is picking up again, and the demand for skilled masons is strong.

"It's a business that's as old as mankind," Luebs said. "It's a business that will be with mankind as far as I can see."

CLASSES

Local masonry apprenticeship programs:

Manatee Technical Institute

5603 34th St. W., Bradenton

Contact Dennis Neal at (941) 751-7900, Ext. 2019.

Pinellas Technical Education Centers

901 34th St., St. Petersburg

Contact Ed Robertson at (727) 893-2500, Ext. 1045.