Welder
Join metals using MIG, TIG, and MMA welding processes across manufacturing, construction, energy, and engineering — a coded skill with strong demand in every sector that builds physical things.
High
Low
1–3 years via college or employer training to gain basic qualification and first coded procedures; further experience needed to extend coding range across processes and positions
City & Guilds Level 2 or 3 in Welding; CSWIP qualification; EWS/EWF European Welding Specialist; TWI courses; coded welder procedure qualification records (PQRs) are the primary employment credential
possible
What you do
Welders permanently join metal components using heat-fusing processes. MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding is the most widely used process in fabrication and manufacturing — fast, versatile, and suited to most steel and aluminium work. TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding produces precision, high-quality welds in stainless steel, aluminium, and exotic alloys — essential in food processing, pharmaceutical, aerospace, and motorsport applications. MMA (Manual Metal Arc, or stick welding) is used for heavy structural work, site welding, and maintenance in challenging environments. Coded welders hold procedure qualification records (PQRs) demonstrating tested capability on specific material, thickness, and position combinations.
CWSIP (Certification Scheme for Weld Inspection Personnel) and EWF/EWS (European Welding Federation/Specialist) qualifications provide internationally recognised credentials. City & Guilds and NOCN also offer welding qualifications at Levels 1–3. The Welding Institute (TWI) is the principal professional body and training provider in the UK. Entry is via apprenticeship, college, or direct employer training. Welders work in manufacturing, construction, oil and gas, petrochemical, marine, rail, and defence — industries where welded joints carry critical structural loads.
Why this career is resilient
Coding a weld — proving it meets a pressure or structural specification — requires physical skill, positional dexterity, and process knowledge that cannot be replicated by robotic welding in the vast majority of real-world applications. Industrial robots weld repetitive joints in controlled factory environments (automotive body shells, for example) but cannot access confined spaces, site conditions, complex geometry, or maintenance and repair welding where human adaptability is essential. The UK's energy infrastructure, offshore sector, manufacturing base, and construction industry all require coded welders as a safety-critical workforce. Skills shortages in welding are chronic and well-documented across the industry.
Coded welder status — a qualification that must be re-tested periodically — creates a protected professional threshold. Welders who broaden their process range (adding TIG to MIG capability, or extending to exotic alloys) continually increase their market value. The combination of manufacturing, maintenance, and site welding opportunities means that a skilled welder rarely lacks work.
A typical day
Morning: collect a welding procedure specification for a new contract — stainless steel pipe spools for a food factory — and set up the TIG welder for the root pass. Weld three pipe joint samples under position 5G (pipe fixed, welding all round) for procedure qualification. Afternoon: complete the production run of carbon steel structural brackets for a mezzanine floor job using MIG process, following the approved weld procedure. End of day: assist a junior welder with overhead MMA welding technique on a maintenance job.
Routes in
Apprenticeship
Earn while you learn: work with an employer and study part-time, leading to a nationally recognised qualification. Typically funded by the government and your employer.
Full-time college course
Study full-time at a further education college, usually for 1–2 years. You will need to fund yourself or apply for a student loan (available for Level 4+ courses).
Employer-funded training
Some employers — particularly the NHS, emergency services, and larger care providers — run their own funded training programmes. You apply for a job and train as you work.
Pay and costs
Earning potential: Production welder in manufacturing: £26,000–£34,000. Coded welder in pressure vessel or structural steelwork: £32,000–£42,000. TIG welder in aerospace, nuclear, or offshore: £40,000–£55,000+. Coded welders on oil and gas shutdown work can earn significantly above these figures.
Training costs: College welding course: £1,500–£4,000. CSWIP or EWS qualification tests: £300–£800 per stage. Personal PPE (auto-darkening helmet, gloves, jacket, boots): £300–£600. Many employers fund coding tests for candidates they intend to employ.