The Apprentice Welder

The Apprentice Welder will work towards a Level 2 Welding qualification while developing the practical skills and knowledge required to safely manufacture, assemble and weld components to specification in a production environment.

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

As an Apprentice Welder, you will:

• Learn to operate welding equipment safely and effectively under supervision.
• Develop skills in a variety of welding processes and techniques, including manual and mechanised welding methods.
• Manufacturing and assembling components in accordance with engineering drawings, specifications and work instructions.
• Prepare materials and workpieces for welding activities.
• Produce welds to the required quality standards and specifications.
• Carry out visual inspections and basic quality checks on completed work.
• Use measuring equipment and tools accurately.
• Maintain a clean, safe and organised working environment.
• Follow all health, safety, environmental and company procedures at all times.
• Wear and maintain appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Work effectively as part of a production team and communicate with colleagues, supervisors and quality personnel.
• Support continuous improvement activities and contribute to reducing waste where possible.
• Complete all apprenticeship training, coursework, assessments and off-the-job learning requirements.
• Build and maintain a portfolio of evidence demonstrating competence throughout the apprenticeship programme.

Where you'll work

Marsh Road
Middlesbrough
TS1 5JS

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

MIDDLESBROUGH COLLEGE

Training course

Welder (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Apply health and safety procedures including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Collect and use information - text and data. For example, manufacturer's instructions, manuals, job instructions, drawings and quality control documentation.
• Prepare welding materials and work area: sourcing, checking and protecting.
• Prepare welding machines or equipment and safety protection measures, for example, check calibration and maintenance dates, inspection for cable damage.
• Check and use or operate tools and equipment.
• Set, modify and monitor welding controls, for example, current, arc voltage, wire feed speed, gas flow rates, polarity, mechanised tractor units.
• Identify issues and actions required. Escalate issues or concerns.
• Use manual processes and equipment to remove material before and after welding.
• Weld using processes, for example, tungsten inert gas (TIG), plasma arc welding (PAW), manual metal arc (MMA), metal inert or metal active gas (MIG or MAG), flux cored arc welding (FCAW), submerged arc welding (SAW), tractor-mounted metal inert or metal active gas (MIG or MAG), tractor-mounted flux cored arc welding (FCAW), tractor-mounted or orbital tungsten inert gas (TIG), tractor-mounted or orbital plasma arc welding (PAW).
• Adapt welding technique to weld different material groups, for example, carbon steel, low alloy steel (3-7% alloy content), high alloy ferritic or martensitic steel (>7% alloy content), austenitic stainless steel, duplex stainless steels, nickel and nickel alloys, aluminium and aluminium alloys, titanium and titanium alloys, copper and copper alloys.
• Weld materials in different joint configurations, for example, butt, T-butt, fillet, cladding or buttering.
• Adapt welding techniques to weld materials in different positions, for example, down-hand, horizontal-vertical, horizontal, vertical-up, vertical-down, overhead, inclined.
• Identify surface defects.
• Apply visual inspection, dimensional and alignment checks.
• Restore the work area on completion of the welding activity, for example, clean equipment and machinery, tidy the work area, return excess resources and consumables.
• Communicate verbally with others, for example, internal and external customers, colleagues, supervisors and managers.
• Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards and guidance. Segregate resources for re-use, recycling and disposal.
• Follow equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
• Follow work instructions - verbal or written.
• Apply team working principles.
• Apply health and safety procedures including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Collect and use information - text and data. For example, manufacturer's instructions, manuals, job instructions, drawings and quality control documentation.
• Prepare welding materials and work area: sourcing, checking and protecting.
• Prepare welding machines or equipment and safety protection measures, for example, check calibration and maintenance dates, inspection for cable damage.
• Check and use or operate tools and equipment.
• Set, modify and monitor welding controls, for example, current, arc voltage, wire feed speed, gas flow rates, polarity, mechanised tractor units.
• Identify issues and actions required. Escalate issues or concerns.
• Use manual processes and equipment to remove material before and after welding.
• Weld using processes, for example, tungsten inert gas (TIG), plasma arc welding (PAW), manual metal arc (MMA), metal inert or metal active gas (MIG or MAG), flux cored arc welding (FCAW), submerged arc welding (SAW), tractor-mounted metal inert or metal active gas (MIG or MAG), tractor-mounted flux cored arc welding (FCAW), tractor-mounted or orbital tungsten inert gas (TIG), tractor-mounted or orbital plasma arc welding (PAW).
• Adapt welding technique to weld different material groups, for example, carbon steel, low alloy steel (3-7% alloy content), high alloy ferritic or martensitic steel (>7% alloy content), austenitic stainless steel, duplex stainless steels, nickel and nickel alloys, aluminium and aluminium alloys, titanium and titanium alloys, copper and copper alloys.
• Weld materials in different joint configurations, for example, butt, T-butt, fillet, cladding or buttering.
• Adapt welding techniques to weld materials in different positions, for example, down-hand, horizontal-vertical, horizontal, vertical-up, vertical-down, overhead, inclined.
• Identify surface defects.
• Apply visual inspection, dimensional and alignment checks.
• Restore the work area on completion of the welding activity, for example, clean equipment and machinery, tidy the work area, return excess resources and consumables.
• Communicate verbally with others, for example, internal and external customers, colleagues, supervisors and managers.
• Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards and guidance. Segregate resources for re-use, recycling and disposal.
• Follow equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
• Follow work instructions - verbal or written.
• Apply team working principles.