JUNIOR BLOCK LAYER™
Building the Next Generation of Masonry
The Junior Block Layer™ program introduces students to masonry careers through hands-on learning, skills competitions and direct exposure to the craft.
WHAT IS JUNIOR BLOCK LAYER?
Junior Block Layer™ creates hands-on opportunities for students to experience masonry, develop skills and connect with industry professionals. The program can be incorporated into career days, industry events, plant tours, masonry training programs and other workforce outreach activities.
- HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
Students get an opportunity to work directly with CMU and experience the craft. - CAREER AWARENESS
Introduce students to masonry and potential pathways into the industry. - INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS
Bring producers, contractors, educators and students together.
BRING THE JUNIOR BLOCK LAYER TO YOUR COMMUNITY
Junior Block Layer™ is designed to give the masonry industry a hands-on way to connect with students and introduce them to the trade. Producers, contractors and industry partners can help bring the program to career days, plant tours, schools, training programs and industry events.
- FIND AN OPPORTUNITY
Identify a school, career day, plant tour, industry event or training program where Junior Block Layer could be a fit.
- CHOOSE A COMPETITION LEVEL
Select the level that best matches participants' masonry experience.
- GET STARTED
Download the program materials or contact the program team for help planning your event.
BEGINNER LEVEL
It’s not just an introduction to the Concrete Masonry Industry. It’s a fun block-laying contest that requires very little skill but inspires young people to learn the trade. The beginner level will give them a sense of accomplishment in laying block while building a desire to move forward in a lucrative and fulfilling career. It will be a timed contest with four 8” Concrete Masonry Units (CMU) laid and judged on industry standards for workmanship. This level is designed for first-time participants and would be well-suited to career days, industry events, plant tours and the like.
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL
Designed for those that have had some instruction on proper laying techniques for CMU, the intermediate level will help students take the next step on their journey into the masonry trade. This level will also be offered to first-year students in masonry training programs, allowing them to showcase the skills they learned in their first year. Like the beginner level, this will be a timed contest with sixteen 8” CMU laid and judged on industry standards for workmanship. The intermediate contest is designed for participants that started masonry training within the prior year.
ADVANCED LEVEL
Designed for students that have started their second or third year of masonry training and those who may have completed the intermediate level, the advanced level of the Junior Block Layer program will be a timed contest with 30 CMU laid and judged on industry standards for workmanship. Also available to those in the apprentice program, this level is ideal for masonry pathway completers, working apprentices, and second- or third-year masonry students.
TEAM LEVEL
Open to students at any stage of the Junior Block Layer program, this level is a team-based contest in which groups of three students collaborate to construct a CMU wall. Participants may perform any necessary tasks, including laying block, tending, jointing, etc. Meant to reflect a real-world jobsite, the team level event will be a timed contest with 36 - 8” CMU laid and judged on industry standards for workmanship.