Heritage Stonemason Apprentice

Summary

Join our team as a Heritage Stonemason Apprentice and learn the specialist skills needed to restore and conserve historic buildings. You will gain hands-on experience working with traditional materials, developing craftsmanship that will preserve heritage sites for future generations.

Wage

£20,000 a year

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Opportunities for pay increases based on performance and skill development.

Training course

Stonemason (level 2)

Hours

Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 15 September 2025

Duration

2 years

Positions available

2

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 a Heritage Stonemason Apprentice, you will work on historic buildings, assisting skilled masons while learning traditional techniques. Your responsibilities will include:

Assisting with the restoration of stone structures using traditional materials and methods.
Learning to carve, shape, and dress stone using hand tools.
Mixing and applying lime mortar for repointing and repairs.
Supporting site preparation, cleaning, and maintenance of tools and work areas.
Reading technical drawings and following instructions for accurate restoration work.
Understanding and implementing health and safety procedures on-site.

Where you’ll work

Unit 5A
Millennium Road, Airedale Business Centre
Skipton
BD23 2TZ

Training

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

College or training organisation

YORK COLLEGE

Your training course

Stonemason (level 2)

Equal to GCSE

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.

Your training plan

Stonemason apprentices attend York College - Sim Balk Lane, York YO23 2BB - on block release which is for 2 weeks per term, approximately and work for their employer for the rest of the time. If required, Functional Skills are delivered as a separate block release.

More training information

Continual assessment will take place throughout the duration of the apprenticeship. If required, the Functional Skills are assessed through on-line tests

The End-Point Assessment (EPA) will comprise of:

Observation with questioning that will last 4 hours, 45 minutes
60-minute interview based on your portfolio of evidence

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 3)
Maths (grade 3)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Presentation skills
Logical
Team working
Creative
Initiative
Non judgemental
Patience
Physical fitness

Other requirements

Any prior experience with construction, masonry, or hands-on craftsmanship is beneficial but not required. • Work is often outdoors in all weather conditions. • Travel to different sites may be required. • Heavy lifting and manual labour are part of the role. • Commitment to attending York College sessions as part of the apprenticeship

About this company

Stone Edge is a specialist heritage stonemasonry company dedicated to the restoration and conservation of historic buildings. Our skilled team has worked on prestigious projects, ensuring the preservation of architectural heritage across the UK.

http://www.stone-edge.co.uk (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Upon completing the apprenticeship, there is potential to become a fully qualified stonemason, with opportunities to specialise in conservation work and progress to senior roles within the company.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

YORK COLLEGE

Apprenticeship Team

apprenticeships@yorkcollege.ac.uk

01904 770368

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000315894.

Apply now

Closes on Tuesday 1 July 2025

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