Masonry Career Starts at Home

“Aside from the help I’ve received from my father — the man who taught me the work ethic that keeps me on the job — I’ve also benefited from my instructor and coworker, Donald Winchester, as well as my boss Carl Dyker, and fellow bricklayer Edmond Vautour.”

After two years of college, Richard Mitchell decided it was time to try another career path. He packed his bags, left the University of Prince Edward Island, and headed home to St. John, New Brunswick. Mitchell’s father, Local 1 NB (now Local 8 NB) member Ronald Mitchell, introduced his son to a trade that would provide the sense of accomplishment he was looking for. Now an apprentice working for St. John-based Wildwood Masonry, the 26-year-old is learning stone and brick masonry on the job and in the Union’s apprenticeship program.

“My contractor gets work on a variety of projects, and the experience I’m gaining is going to pay off,” says Mitchell. “Since I’ve been with Wildwood, we’ve restored an aging Coast Guard station, and built an addition to a historic private school, carefully matching materials to existing buildings. In addition to my work here in the east, I’ve traveled out west in Alberta and British Columbia, working with stone.”

“Aside from the help I’ve received from my father — the man who taught me the work ethic that keeps me on the job — I’ve also benefited from my instructor and coworker, Donald Winchester, as well as my boss Carl Dyker, and fellow bricklayer Edmond Vautour. They have really helped speed my career along by teaching me the trade. My father also continues to help me. Right now he’s teaching me to read blueprints.”

Union membership is also paying off for Mitchell in other ways. “Our dental and prescription program have really come in handy, and now we even have massage therapy to help us contend with the muscle strain that comes with the trade.”

Mitchell is also excited to see more interest in the apprenticeship program in his area. “The government is changing the community college curriculum for masonry. We’re now required to earn continuing education credits through our apprenticeship,” says Mitchell.

Being closer to home also has its benefits. “I’ve played soccer for 22 years, and now I’m back playing A-League here in St. John for my senior men’s team. When I’m not playing or working with my tools, I’m out on the pitch with my father, working as a referee at local matches.”