Construction Technology - Masonry Emphasis

Through lectures, demonstrations, shop exercises, and campus work projects, students are prepared for employment in the residential-commercial masonry construction industry. Students are trained in the skills needed to be proficient masons in brick, block, and tile. Students are also given the opportunity, based on their personal interests, to learn the elements of other trowel trades, including stonework, concrete, glass block, stucco, and plaster. The goal of the program is to prepare students to become leaders at many levels in the construction field: journeyman mason, job site foreman, construction superintendent, project manager, front office administrator, or owner of a contracting firm.

The study of masonry begins with the basics, such as the use of tools, the spreading of mortar, and safety; progresses to intermediate projects, such as building straight walls, arches, and chimneys; and continues with complex projects, such as fireplaces and decorative work. In the study of block construction, students learn how to construct corners, straight walls, and foundations. Tile training involves area preparation and the setting, cleaning, and repair of tiled surfaces. In addition to providing instruction in masonry skills, students also receive instruction in other areas of importance to a mason such as cost estimation, foremanship, site layout, and general contracting. Students also receive instruction in the technical, business, logistical, and management aspects of the construction industry so that they are prepared to advance into supervisory or administrative positions in large construction firms or to run their own businesses. The program covers the process and procedures required for carrying out construction projects from start to finish including reading blueprints and specifications, estimating labor and material costs, and complying with building permit requirements, mandatory site tests, and bidding, bonding, and contracting procedures.