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- From sports to stonemasonry TAFE NSW helps Daniel on remarkable career journey
Media release
TAFE NSW Miller | 23 June 2025
Daniel trades sport for stonemasonry with help from TAFE NSW
“My teacher has taught me so many invaluable skills, like using a chisel and hammer, which has given me the technical expertise I need to carve and shape stone by hand.”
Daniel Fuentes
A former high performance and youth sports coach has made an unlikely career sidestep to stonemasonry, with the help of TAFE NSW Miller.
Bondi man Daniel Fuentes, 39, had a promising career in a range of sporting roles before a yearning for a “second career” drew him to a trade that dates back to medieval times.
An ageing workforce and intense competition for skilled labour in the construction industry has contributed to a growing shortage of stonemasons nationally. TAFE NSW Miller, the only training organisation in NSW to teach the trade, is addressing the shortage by training the next generation of stonemasons.
Attracted to the job security and the varied, hands-on nature of stonemasonry, Mr Fuentes secured an apprenticeship with Menucha Monuments in 2024 and said it was the best decision he ever made.
“I’ve always been fascinated by architecture and I was moved by the idea that you could help preserve and conserve some of these magnificent buildings that will outlive us all,” he said. “I wanted to transition to a new career and I liked the idea of a more hands-on, technical trade. “I’ve never been suited to an office environment and I knew stonemasons were in demand.”
As a monumental mason, Mr Fuentes focuses on thecreation, installation and repairof headstones and other memorials. Mr Fuentes said the Certificate III in Stonemasonry at TAFE NSW Miller had helped him build the practical skills and industry-specific knowledge to make a running start to his career. “My teacher has taught me so many invaluable skills, like using a chisel and hammer, which has given me the technical expertise I need to carve and shape stone by hand,” Mr Fuentes said.
TAFE NSW Miller Head Teacher of Stonemasonry Michael Landers said TAFE NSW stonemasonry graduates were in such high demand, he regularly fielded calls from employers. “It’s a great industry and one that many TAFE NSW graduates have built rewarding careers in,” Mr Landers said.
“It’s extremely gratifying to create things with your hands that will last longer than you do and knowing your can help preserve these magnificent old buildings or help a grieving family cherish the memory of loved ones.”
According to Jobs and Skills Australia, there are about 27,100 stonemasons employed nationally, with median weekly earnings of $1597.
Media contact: Dan Johns, TAFE NSW Communications Specialist, 02 7920 5000
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