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Media release
TAFE NSW Miller | 1 September 2025
How an ancient trade surprised Hayley with a rewarding career change
“I’ve learned so much about myself in this job and I’m so proud to be a qualified tradeswoman with all of these skills”
Hayley Sharp, TAFE NSW graduate
A former swim instructor and hospitality worker has made a radical career switch to stonemasonry. Rooty Hill woman Haley Sharp, 26, is one of a small band of females nationwide to qualify in the ancient trade.
An ageing workforce and intense competition for skilled labour in the construction industry has contributed to a national shortage of stonemasons. TAFE NSW Miller, the only Registered Training Organisation (RTO) in NSW to teach the trade, is addressing the shortage by training the next generation of stonemasons .
After leaving school, a career in the trades was the furthest thing from Ms Sharp’s mind. However, taking a one-week job as a labourer for a kitchen cabinet maker unlocked a hidden passion for practical work, and she was offered an apprenticeship.
Eight months into her cabinetmaking apprenticeship, Ms Sharp was offered a stonemasonry apprenticeship with her uncle’s company, Artisan of Stone. Working as a heritage stonemason, she spends her days restoring and repairing historic structures, such as buildings and bridges.
“It’s so rewarding knowing you’re helping preserve history,” Ms Sharp said. “I’ve worked in conservation across a range of heritage sites, including the Museum of Sydney, Seal Rocks Lighthouse, and Government House. These are structures that will stand for hundreds of years, if not more.”
The job offered the satisfaction of working outdoors while making a mark on history. “I’ve learned so much about myself in this job and I’m so proud to be a qualified tradeswoman with all of these skills,” Ms Sharp said. “I love that I’m often working in different locations and just to be able to see the before and after of a job you’re working on.”
Ms Sharp attends TAFE NSW Miller for week-long blocks during term, learning the intricate skills of a trade that dates back more than 4500 years to the building of the pyramids at Giza and Stonehenge.
“TAFE NSW has really helped build my skills, even in other parts of the trade I don’t usually use like lead lettering,” she said. “It’s also been a great opportunity to meet like-minded people in such a small, niche trade.”
TAFE NSW Head Teacher of Stonemasonry Michael Landers said while there were only about a dozen female stonemasons qualified nationally, apprentice numbers were growing.
“We are seeing more women coming through and we’ve just had three graduate from Haley’s class,” Mr Landers said. “It’s a great industry and one that many TAFE NSW graduates have built rewarding careers in. It’s extremely gratifying to create things with your hands that will last longer than you do and knowing you can help preserve these magnificent old buildings or help a grieving family cherish the memory of loved ones.”
Stonemasons work with natural and engineered stone, cutting, shaping and assembling it for buildings, monuments and decorative purposes.
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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