08/07/2026
Nice Article about Daylon Schrader from the LeaderPost today.
Daylon is a 3rd year Apprentice with Brxton Masonry.
By
Kaitlyn Fischer
August 7, 2026 at 6:00 a.m.
Daylon Schrader never expected to be an apprentice bricklayer, much less an award-winning bricklayer.
“I actually stumbled into it by accident — we were looking for a job for my brother-in-law and the union president reached out and I thought I would give it a try,” said Schrader, who’s from Swift Current.
The career move surprised his family a bit, too.
“Growing up, he had an interest in hunting and mechanics, so he’s always been outdoorsy,” said Boyd Schrader, Daylon’s father, whose son was recently proclaimed one of the most promising bricklayers in Saskatchewan.
Daylon attended the 2026 Skills Canada competition in Toronto and won the Royal Bank of Canada’s Best of Region Award for Saskatchewan, earning $1,500 for his education and future career in bricklaying.
“I believe there was eight or nine of us in bricklaying,” said Schrader, recalling the May event.
“It was nerve-racking to enter at first, but it helps me in a lot of ways as a bricklayer. It helps me by coming in here to train and it teaches problem solving and learning on the fly. It’s a speed contest, so time management is a big part.”
The versatility of the job is what drew in Schrader.
“It’s just knowing there’s so much possibility out there in this career,” he said. “I just love it.”
As a Level 3 apprentice at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Schrader trains under the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC).
The Government of Saskatchewan reported there were 51,300 construction trade workers in the province in 2025.
Due to a lower enrolment in trades education and current bricklayers reaching retirement age, there has been a steady increase in demand for Saskatchewan bricklayers, according to information on the Government of Canada’s website.
Working an average of 35-40 hours per week, bricklayers typically create or repair walls, foundations, structures and line or reline furnaces and boilers. Smaller jobs include creating or repairing chimneys, fireplaces and patios.
“Daylon was the guy that picked up our trade naturally, but he worked hard at it, too,” said Derek Halldorson, president of the BAC Local 1 in Saskatchewan.
“He was dependable, showed up every day, worked hard and he’s a quick learner.”
Level 3 is an advanced stage of the program, with the trainee working full time under a mentor for seven to eight weeks. During this time, the apprentice follows a job checklist from the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC), blending both on-the-job experience and studying.
“He first started out as a labourer,” said Halldorson. “After working for a while, the company decided they wanted to invest in him and he starts the apprenticeship program.”
Halldorson expects Schrader to become a Red Seal journeyperson by January. Red Seal is a recognized trade across Canada, allowing the person who completes the program to work in any province.
“Daylon comes to work with a great attitude,” said Halldorson.
“He’s grateful for everything his company has provided to him. His dedication to the industry and the competition (stands out), working and training on weekends and after hours to make him successful at the competition.”
When he’s not working, Schrader spends time with his wife Ashanti and their two young children.
“He’s dedicated and loving to his work, to his family, and to anything he sets his mind to,” said Schrader’s father.
With his career ahead of him, Schrader is eager to see what the future holds.
“I’m an apprentice at the very lowest of my career right now, and it can only get better and better and better,” he said.
“There’s so much more possibility for myself out there in this career and I love it.”
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