Welding is an essential part of engineering manufacture. There are about 100,000 welders working in the UK.

People are attracted to a career in welding for a variety of reasons. Some may have watched pictures on television showing welders making oil platforms for North Sea operations. Others may have read about high wages being paid to pipeline welders. Contact with someone who is working as a welder may have stimulated interest.

If you are interested in becoming a welder, you will want answers to a number of questions. Some of the more important are given here to help you make your decision.

What Is Welding?

Welding is a method of providing a high strength joint in metallic components. It does this by melting the metal to form a bridge between the parts to be joined.

Some techniques are mechanised and are used in the volume production of, say, cars and washing machines. The skill required to operate this type of welding lies in setting up the control systems, and is usually the responsibility of a technician - the welder simply operates the machine.

However, a large amount of welding is done by manual techniques where an electric arc or a gas flame is used to melt the metal in the joint. The welder is in direct control of the process, making judgements which decide the quality of the finished weld. There are four main manual processes. They are called Manual Metal Arc welding (MMA), Tungsten Inert Gas welding (TIG), Metal Inert Gas welding (MIG) and Oxy-acetylene welding (OA). Each has its own field of application, but they all require a high degree of skill to achieve sound welds.

Why Choose Welding As A Career?

Welding is:

One of the few remaining crafts used in manufacture and construction. This means that the quality of the weld is dependent on the skill of the welder - you can take a pride in your work as a craftsman and have a sense of achievement. There is also the continuing challenge of developing new skills to meet different situations.

A transferable skill. It is not confined to one industry or one country. Welders are required for applications as diverse as jet engine manufacture and bridge building, laying cross-country pipelines, and fabricating equipment in exotic materials such as titanium.

Universal - skills and qualifications obtained in the UK are equally in demand in Europe and overseas.

Will I Be Suitable?

Most people can learn the rudiments of welding, but not everyone can develop the skills needed to consistently meet the standards required by modern industry.

To start with, a welder needs good eyesight and must be physically fit. You must be able to persevere - it takes a lot of practice to become a good welder.

Welding demands undivided attention for periods of up to five minutes. Any variations in the operation of the system must be observed and translated into immediate corrective movements of the hand - this is often referred to as hand-eye co-ordination. If you are good with your hands and enjoy working with tools, you will probably be able to respond to welder training.

Finally, you will need to learn about the technology so that you gain an understanding of the tasks you perform.

Is Welding Safe?

Welding is as safe as the welder makes it.

There are hazards. The process uses heat to melt the metal, so there is a risk of burns. The arc produces fumes and a bright light. There are also the usual hazards associated with using electrical equipment. But, there are well-defined working procedures which protect the welder against these risks. If the safety rules are adopted there is no reason why welding should be any more hazardous than other occupations in engineering.

What Are The Routes To Becoming A Welder?

The way you start on a career in welding depends on your age. If you are just leaving school, your best choice is to get a place on a youth training scheme, which includes attendance at Gwynedd Training and a local Further Education College. A number of large companies offer a comprehensive programme of training in more than one welding process. Smaller companies often limit the scope of the training to one process, but this can provide a good foundation for skill development on a Gwynedd Training course. Your careers teacher should be able to give you information about training schemes which are being run in your area.

Adults who want to change their careers usually need to acquire the basic skills of welding before applying for employment as a welder. Information about these courses is available from your local Job centre. Full-time courses are run by Gwynedd Training, These last from two to ten weeks, depending on the coverage required. The fees vary according to the process and the extent of the training. Grants are sometimes available for adult retraining - these depend on current government legislation, and information can be obtained from Gwynedd Training, careers, Jobcentres and the regional TECs. Look in your telephone directory for the address of your local TEC.

What Qualifications Should I Aim For?

There are several qualification schemes for welding recognised by industry. The most recent are the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQS, or SVQs in Scotland) which are awarded to those who achieve nationally recognised Standards of Competence. These qualifications are gained through on-going assessment, often in the work-place, to check that the candidate can meet the specified Performance Criteria and has the expected underpinning knowledge. In welding, N/SVQs are awarded through schemes operated by the Engineering and Marine Training Authority, Engineering Construction Industry Training Board and City and Guilds. Vocational courses of Further Education leading to recognised educational certificates are run to syllabuses and practical training set by examining bodies such as City and Guilds and ABC (formerly EMFEC/CENTRA). Courses are available at levels from beginners to advanced and information on the current opportunities are available from Gwynedd Training.

Modern apprenticeships are linked to the attainment of N/SVQs and attendance at a vocational course is required. Check with your careers teacher or local TEC for information about local opportunities.

All these qualifications help in seeking employment, but the industrially recognised qualification is a Welder Approval Certificate. To achieve this the welder completes a sample weld which is tested in accordance with British Standard BS4872 or, for more critical work, European Standard EN287, or to a similar level. Approval tests are usually conducted by employers for specific work, but Gwynedd Training courses should lead to a level of skill which matches that required by an Approval Test.

What Are The Prospects For Career Development?

With further training, welders who show an aptitude for organisation or management can be promoted to foreman/supervisor. There are also opportunities in training (as instructors), welding inspection and in plant/consumables sales. All of these tasks require further qualification such as that available through the well-known CSWIP scheme (Certification Scheme for Welding and Inspection Personnel).

Through further training, it is possible to gain qualifications as a technician or engineer, generally by following a EdExcel or SQA course at National or Higher Level.

Further training may also equip you to gain one of the levels of European welding qualification, such as European Welding Practitioner, Specialist or Technologist. Information about these opportunities is available from Gwynedd Training

Useful Addresses Information about Gwynedd Training courses:

Main centre operations site:-

Unit 1I Cybin

Caernarfon

Gwynedd Training Tel:- 01286 676477 or visit our web site at WWW.hgt.gwynedd.gov.uk