Cement masons and concrete finishers perform specialized masonry work with poured concrete (concrete finishers) and finished concrete (cement masons). The jobs are usually outdoors on construction sites and may be physically demanding. Seasonal work is common in colder climates. Required skills are similar throughout the country, but building codes and the weather have an impact on local working conditions.

Knowledge of the properties of cement is essential, including how variable weather conditions may affect the pouring, leveling, setting and finishing processes. Cement masons doing decorative finished work employ design skills. Commercial projects can take years and demand more specialized skills, while residential projects may require only a few days.

Any homeowner who has dealt with a faulty foundation knows the importance of a competent cement mason and a concrete finisher.

Concrete finishers pour wet cement into various forms and tend to work on foundation slabs, sidewalks, roads, curbs and other ground-level projects. Cement masons then work with the finished cement forms and mortar to erect walls and other above-ground structures. "The cement mason’s work begins where the finisher leaves off," says Al Herndon, who oversees masonry training for the Florida Masonry Apprentice and Education Foundation.

Some masonry projects, particularly smaller residential jobs, require one mason to do both cement and concrete work. But at larger, commercial jobs, there is likely to be several masons. Cement masons need to be able to follow detailed directions to make complex building components. Concrete finishers must know how to work quickly and effectively to pour and shape concrete. "You have to do it correctly the first time," Herndon says. "You don’t get a second chance with cement."

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -4.0% employment growth for cement masons and concrete finishers between 2022 and 2032. In that period, an estimated 8,300 jobs will be lost.

Entry-level masons often enter the industry after high school and receive on-the-job training. As they gain experience and perspective and decide to pursue a career in masonry, they tend to seek apprenticeship training in their early 20s, Herndon says. Unions and contractor associations are among the groups that offer apprenticeship programs, which can lead to higher pay and more advancement opportunities.