Welder Fabricator Apprentice

The Kaizen Department are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic Welder Fabricator Apprentice to join their growing team. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who wants to learn a skilled trade while gaining hands-on experience working alongside experienced professionals.

Wage: £17,471.04 a year
Yearly pay increase: performance dependant.
Training course: Metal fabricator (level 3)
Hours: Monday- Thursday, 6:45am- 3:03pm (including set breaks). Friday college day release time throughout the apprenticeship. 39 hours a week
Start date: Thursday 15 October 2026
Duration: 3 years 6 months
Positions available: 2

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

What you'll do at work

As an apprentice you will actively participate in Kaizen and continuous improvement activities.

• Identify opportunities to reduce:
  • Waste
  • Downtime
  • Manual handling
  • Scrap and rework
  • Changeover time
  • Unnecessary movement
  • Production bottlenecks

You will also:

• Respond to improvement requests from production teams.
• Develop practical fabrication solutions to improve manufacturing processes
• Support 5S activities within the fabrication and maintenance areas
• Keep work areas organised, clean and safe

Welding & Fabrication:

• Carry out MIG/MAG, TIG and other appropriate welding processes as required
• Fabricate components and structures from drawings, sketches and measurements
• Cut, drill, grind, bend and prepare materials using appropriate equipment
• Manufacture guards, brackets, frames, platforms, supports and other fabricated items
• Carry out repair welding on production equipment, fixtures and stillages
• Select appropriate materials, welding processes and consumables for each job

Production Support:

• Respond to urgent fabrication and repair requirements from Production.
• Minimise production downtime by completing repairs efficiently and safely
• Support the maintenance team with fabrication and welding requirements
• Manufacture temporary or permanent solutions where appropriate and authorised
• Assist with modifications to jigs, fixtures, tooling and production equipment
• Work closely with Production Engineering to implement improvement projects

Where you'll work

Cherry Blossom Way
Sunderland
Tyne And Wear
SR5 3NT

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

Training provider

CITY OF SUNDERLAND COLLEGE

Training course

Metal fabricator (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Work safely at all times, comply with health & safety legislation, regulations and organisational requirements.
• Comply with environmental legislation, regulations and organisational requirements.
• Obtain, check and use the appropriate documentation (such as job instructions, drawings, quality control documentation).
• Carry out relevant planning and preparation activities before commencing work activity.
• Undertake the work activity using the correct processes, procedures and equipment.
• Carry out the required checks (such as quality, compliance or testing) using the correct procedures, processes and/or equipment.
• Deal promptly and effectively with problems within the limits of their responsibility using approved diagnostic methods and techniques and report those which cannot be resolved to the appropriate personnel.
• Complete any required documentation using the defined recording systems at the appropriate stages of the work activity.
• Restore the work area on completion of the activity and where applicable return any resources and consumables to the appropriate location.
• Identify and follow correct Metal work instructions, specifications, drawing etc.
• Mark out using appropriate tools and techniques.
• Cut and form Metal for the production or maintenance of fabricated products.
• Produce and assemble Metal products to required specification and quality requirements.
• Identify and follow correct joining instructions, specifications, drawing etc.
• Carry out the relevant preparation before starting the joining fabrication activity.
• Set up, check, adjust and use joining and related equipment.
• Weld joints in accordance with approved welding procedures and quality requirements.
• Work safely at all times, comply with health & safety legislation, regulations and organisational requirements.
• Comply with environmental legislation, regulations and organisational requirements.
• Obtain, check and use the appropriate documentation (such as job instructions, drawings, quality control documentation).
• Carry out relevant planning and preparation activities before commencing work activity.
• Undertake the work activity using the correct processes, procedures and equipment.
• Carry out the required checks (such as quality, compliance or testing) using the correct procedures, processes and/or equipment.
• Deal promptly and effectively with problems within the limits of their responsibility using approved diagnostic methods and techniques and report those which cannot be resolved to the appropriate personnel.
• Complete any required documentation using the defined recording systems at the appropriate stages of the work activity.
• Restore the work area on completion of the activity and where applicable return any resources and consumables to the appropriate location.
• Identify and follow correct Metal work instructions, specifications, drawing etc.
• Mark out using appropriate tools and techniques.
• Cut and form Metal for the production or maintenance of fabricated products.
• Produce and assemble Metal products to required specification and quality requirements.
• Identify and follow correct joining instructions, specifications, drawing etc.
• Carry out the relevant preparation before starting the joining fabrication activity.
• Set up, check, adjust and use joining and related equipment.
• Weld joints in accordance with approved welding procedures and quality requirements.