Where May One Get Training To Become A Mason In Uganda? 

Although masonry work does not require so much formal training, some sophisticated tasks have to be done by an engineer that went through formal education with enough experience in construction work.

Such masonry workers may receive training from institutions such as Makerere University Kampala (degrees in engineering courses such as mechanical engineering), Kyambogo University (degrees in engineering courses such as mechanical engineering), UTC Kicwamba, Fort Portal (certificates and diploma in engineering courses), UTC Kabale (certificates and diploma in engineering courses), among others.

Candidates must possess the following skills and abilities. 

Masons must be knowledgeable and mix cement and mortar and the proportions of each. 

They must know mathematics to help them know the proportions of each material to be used. Masons use bricks, stone, and cement. The masonry workers should know how much of each material to mix with 

Masonry workers must know the tools and equipment used in the construction of masonry structures. In addition, they should know how to use this equipment. 

They must be physically fit because of the nature of work; masons work for long hours, sometimes lifting heavy building materials like cement and stones. 

They must have the ability to compile status reports on the project’s progress. In addition, Masons have to keep in touch with the project owner, who shows the status of the building from time to time. 

They must possess excellent interpersonal skills. That’s because most of their duties and responsibilities involve speaking to people, especially their fellow masons, during construction. 

They must be good communicators. They also work with people from different backgrounds and statuses, so they must have effective communication skills to ease construction work. In addition, they must possess excellent skills in oral and written communication. It is also preferable that they have proficiency in as many languages as possible.  

Masons must have stress management skills. Their job requires so much multitasking and working for long hours. The long hours can make them stressed. They should therefore be in a position to handle the stress at work.

Masons must have the ability to lift merchandise that weighs at least twenty-five (25) kilograms because the nature of their job requires lifting heavy things like bags of cement, stones, and bricks, among others. 

They must have the capacity to work with minimal supervision. They should be self-driven and able to make proper use of time. In the construction industry, supervision is good, but it can create anxiety among the workers when it is excessively done. So, masonry workers must develop a working mechanism without being supervised most of the time. 

They must also still have the capacity to work as a team. Construction of masonry structures is something that only one person cannot do because the tasks become too many to be executed by a single person. That’s why masonry is encouraged to work in a team to ease work. 

Masons must have excellent hand-eye coordination skills to help them avoid risks of occupational hazards. In addition, while they work, they should be very vigilant of any objects that may cause harm to their bodies. For example, some machinery and materials used in construction, such as hammers, wheelbarrows, stones, etc., can cause bodily harm if not handled with care. 

They are also encouraged to possess time management skills. This is because masonry activities require a lot of commitment in terms of time management.