The New England Trade School of Masonry in Avon, Maine, is accepting applicants for a nine-month certificate program designed to train adults in brick, block, and stone masonry.
The school, located at 637 Rangeley Road, offers a 1,200-hour program that runs from September through May. Applicants must be at least 18 and have basic reading, writing, and math skills.
Students split time between classroom instruction and hands-on projects. The curriculum includes masonry safety, tool use, mortar mixes, brick and block construction, stonework, paving, arches, piers, chimneys, fireplaces, hearths, and estimating. For crews in the field, that mix of layout, materials, and basic takeoff work is the kind of foundation that helps an entry-level hire contribute sooner and more safely.
Dori James, who works in administration and collaboration for the school, said the program is also about raising awareness of masonry as a career. “Masons are in high demand all over the nation,” James said. “It is our goal to grow the trade of masonry and get the word out about the potential for job security that can be found in this trade.”
The school was formerly known as the Maine School of Masonry and is operated by brothers William and Brandon Ellis. William Ellis is a graduate of the former Maine School of Masonry and later earned degrees in electrical and mechanical engineering before choosing masonry as his career. Brandon Ellis has worked as a mason since 2021 after five years in clinical mental health counseling.
Tuition is listed at $15,750 and includes books and tools. Optional housing is available for an additional fee, and the school lists scholarships among its financial-support options.
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