Labor Statistics on the Masonry Trade

Economy

Jul 15

By Chris Hudson | July 15, 2021

DESIGN DATA

This week’s feature on the stabilization of the Mill Ruins Courtyard walls at Mill City Museum in Minneapolis prompted the ENTER team to look into the impacts of industry trends on masonry workers, who play a critical role in the work of historic preservation. Due in part to the increased use of prefabricated panels and thin brick in new construction, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook projects the employment of masonry workers to decline by three percent, or roughly 10,000 jobs, between 2019 and 2029. Yet the employment picture for masons and concrete finishers in Minnesota has bright spots: Nationally, Minnesota enjoys high rankings in employment levels and annual mean wage; Duluth, for example, sits atop the list of highest-paying metropolitan areas in the U.S. for brick masons and block masons.

The Design Data department highlights a compelling data nugget or survey finding related to the built environment.

History Comes Up Against the Limits of Chemistry at Mill Ruins Courtyard