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Young Spaniard gained attention by showing the routine at construction sites, commenting on construction industry salaries, and pointing out the lack of renewal among workers in the sector, a topic that expanded discussions on professional appreciation, physical effort, and the continuity of manual trades.
The Spaniard Santiago Carpintero, 22, gained attention on social media by showing the routine of a bricklayer and advocating, in interviews and publications, the appreciation of the construction industry, a field that, according to him, pays well but faces growing disinterest among young people.
Known as “the TikTok bricklayer”, Santiago gathers more than 180,000 followers on the platform, where he posts videos about construction, renovations, and small home repairs, as well as commenting on aspects of daily work on sites.
The exposure of his routine led part of the audience to discuss salaries, physical effort, and the future of manual trades, topics that frequently appear in the young man’s talks about the profession.
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In an interview with the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, Santiago stated that the activity still faces prejudice for requiring physical effort, although it can offer earnings considered attractive by workers in the sector.
According to the bricklayer, part of the rejection of the construction industry is related to many young people’s preference for occupations associated with indoor environments, greater comfort, and less daily wear and tear.
“In my profession, you earn well, but most people prefer to work in an office with amenities,” said Santiago, commenting on the low interest of young people in activities that require daily presence on sites and direct contact with physical tasks.
Bricklayer salary in Spain draws attention
Among the most notable points in Santiago’s talks is the estimated monthly income in the Spanish construction industry, especially in roles that require practical experience and professional qualification.
According to him, a worker can earn between 1,500 and 1,600 euros per month, while more qualified professionals can earn from 1,800 to 2,000 euros monthly.
The figures cited by the bricklayer contrast with the perception, attributed by him to part of the public, that the construction industry offers few financial opportunities compared to other areas.
In the interview, Santiago stated that many people only realize the cost of specialized work when they receive a quote for construction, renovations, or technical services performed at home.
Even with this remuneration, the young man says he observes difficulty in attracting new workers at a sufficient pace to renew the workforce in the sector.
According to Santiago, many young people seek jobs related to indoor environments, more predictable schedules, and less physical exposure, even though the pay in construction can be competitive in certain roles.
“Nowadays, everyone wants to study and have a comfortable job. Nobody wants to get their hands dirty,” declared the bricklayer, stating that manual work remains necessary, although it is avoided by part of the new generation.
Construction entered Santiago’s life early
Santiago’s relationship with construction began within the family, as he is the son of a bricklayer and accompanied his father in construction activities since childhood.
With this experience, the young man grew up observing construction sites, tools, and renovations, an experience that influenced his decision to turn the activity into a profession years later.
Before definitively pursuing construction, Santiago studied telecommunications but stated that he realized the training did not align with the professional path he wanted to follow.
After this change, he dedicated himself to the craft that was already part of his family routine and practical experience from his early years of contact with construction.
“When I was little, I accompanied my father on construction sites. I was more of a hindrance than a help, but I loved it,” Santiago recounted.
The statement shows how living with his father played a central role in the young man’s connection with construction and in his initial learning of the profession.
TikTok became a showcase for the routine in construction
Santiago’s presence on social media began without professional planning, according to a report he made when commenting on the origin of the videos published on TikTok.
The young man said he recorded a video alongside his father during the construction of a stone shower stall and was surprised by the response the next day.
“The next day, the video had two thousand views, and I was surprised. That’s how I started,” Santiago recalled.
After this initial reach, he began to document other stages of the work and show details of services that are usually seen by the public only after completion.
Currently, the videos include behind-the-scenes of construction, simple explanations, and demonstrations of repairs, focusing on common activities in construction and home maintenance.
This format led some followers to follow execution processes that usually remain outside the perception of those who only see the final result of a construction project.
Lack of Young People in Construction Industry is Concerning
For Santiago, the main concern is the lack of workforce renewal, a point he relates to the disinterest of young people in technical and manual professions.
The bricklayer states that the construction industry may face difficulties in the coming years if fewer people decide to learn trades directly related to the execution of works.
“Tomorrow there will be a great need for workers, and we won’t have enough people. I don’t know who will continue building houses,” he said.
In the same statement, Santiago rejected the idea that machines, robots, or artificial intelligence could fully replace human labor in the construction of homes and structures.
The statement comes in a scenario where careers related to technology, digital services, and corporate environments have gained greater presence in the professional choices of young people.
Meanwhile, manual activities remain associated with practical training, accumulated experience, and the transmission of knowledge between older workers and new professionals.
Manual Work Involves Effort and Delivers Visible Results
Although he defends the profession, Santiago acknowledges the daily challenges on construction sites, such as exposure to heat, cold, and outdoor workdays.
The construction industry also requires physical preparation, attention, and consistency, factors frequently mentioned by workers in the sector when describing the routine on sites.
On the other hand, the young man states that one of the aspects he values most is witnessing the transformation of a project from the beginning to delivery to the client.
For professionals in the field, each completed work represents the concrete result of days or weeks of execution, planning, and physical labor applied to the service.
The impact of the videos also led social media users to comment on the social value of trades, especially in activities related to home maintenance, renovations, and infrastructure.
Bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, and other technical professionals remain present in essential services for homes, works, and repairs, even with less public visibility compared to office careers.
On social media, Santiago has come to be identified as a young representative of an area that, according to him, needs to attract new workers to maintain its continuity.
His statements about salary, physical effort, and the future of the construction industry have broadened the debate about the training of professionals for activities directly linked to the functioning of cities.
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