Dry Stone Waller

Dry stone wallers are the skilled artisans of the countryside, crafting stunning structures that blend seamlessly with the natural landscape. Their work not only preserves traditional building techniques but also plays a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and heritage in the UK.

Dry Stone Waller

4

Construction & Trades

AI IMPACT
AI CAN DO4%moving to49%
THE DOOR, NOWB
THE DOOR, 20 YRSC
STARTING PAY£20,000 - £25,000
PHYSICAL MOATThe work is hands-on, in the real world. Software alone can't do it.
This job holds up well against AI
AI cannot yet do much of what this job actually involves, and the work is hands-on, in the real world. Software alone can't do it. That is about as safe as careers get right now, though it is still worth learning to use the tools well.

Career progression path

1FIRST STEPJunior Dry Stone WallerAs a Junior Dry Stone Waller, you will assist experienced wallers in constructing and repairing walls, gaining hands-on experience and learning the craft.£20,000 - £25,000
2GAINING EXPERIENCEMid-Level Dry Stone WallerIn this role, you will take on more complex projects, managing your own work and ensuring high standards of craftsmanship and safety.£28,000 - £35,000
3PEAK CAREERSenior Dry Stone WallerAs a Senior Dry Stone Waller, you will lead projects, oversee teams, and be responsible for the quality and sustainability of your work.£40,000+
There is more than one way in

You do not have to go the university route to get here. There is also a vocational route that skips a degree entirely. Some employers will take you on here with no formal qualifications at all, if you can show you can do the work.

Careermash

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AI EXPOSURE = the share of a job's day-to-day tasks AI can already do today, from the same exposure engine used across this site (Anthropic labour market research, 2026, observed real-world AI usage by occupation). Higher means more exposed. It is a measurement of now, not a prediction. THE DOOR = how hard the job is to get into, grade A (easy) to E (extremely hard), from each career's published forecast (OpenAI, "The AI Jobs Transition Framework", Richmond 2026, CC BY 4.0). A card marked MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIED has a real exposure score but no entry yet in our moat register, so we make no claim about what structurally protects it. Scorecard grades and verdicts are Careermash editorial judgment: we show forecasts as forecasts and own our conclusions. Salary and pathway figures are each career's own published profile. Careermash is a service provided by What School Ltd.

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