Pipe Welder Apprenticeship

Summary

• A debt-free path to earning an industry-leading qualification • A competitive salary throughout the four year apprenticeship programme. • The opportunity to learn from world-class engineers and other professionals • Mix of learning at our dedicated training facilities and real work experience at sites around the UK

Wage

£14,918.80 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

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Apprentices will be paid the Apprentice NMW of £7.55 during their initial off-the-job training. Once on site, Apprentices will be paid inline with the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI)

Training course

Pipe welder (level 3)

Hours

Hours during off-the-job training: Monday - Thursday = 8:00am - 4:30pm Friday = 7:00am - 1:00pm. Once placed on site, shift patterns could change.

38 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

4 years

Positions available

16

Work

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

What you’ll do at work

The role of a welder is found in a wide range of sectors
where piping systems are used for fluid transport and
pressure containment
The broad purpose of the role is to manually weld tubes and pipes to high standards of quality and integrity using a minimum of two manual arc welding processes: Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) and Manual Metal Arc (MMA)
The final components being welded are often used in highly safety critical applications for the movement and control of fluids and gases, which can be high temperature, highly flammable, corrosive and extremely high pressure
You will be trained to work within strictly defined processes and procedures to exacting standards and ensuring compliance with health, safety and environmental regulations. Sometimes operating autonomously, a welder must also operate effectively within a wider team, which often involves other occupations such as riggers and pipefitters

Where you’ll work

The initial off-the-job training will be based in Tipton, West Midlands and accommodation and travel contributions will be provided during this time. Once the off-the-job training is completed, Apprentices will be placed on one of our sites which are based all over the UK and will receive both accommodation and travel contributions if applicable

Training

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

College or training organisation

ALTRAD EMPLOYMENT SERVICES LIMITED

Your training course

Pipe welder (level 3)

Equal to A level

Course contents

Work safely at all times, comply with health & safety and environmental legislation, regulations and organisational requirements
Obtain, check and use appropriate documentation (such as job instructions, drawings, quality control documentation)
Plan all preparatory tasks and interfaces and pipe welding activity, before commencing work
Obtain, position and assemble welding equipment and associated safety protection needed for each activity
Prepare, check and protect materials and work areas ready for welding
Inspect the assembly to be welded and undertake remedial work to comply with specification, or implement quality steps if rejected
Receive, inspect, condition and maintain consumables
Set, test, and monitor key welding parameters as detailed within the Welding Procedure Specification and adjust as necessary to accommodate changing orientation as the weld progresses around the pipe joint.
Set-up purge protection within the pipe bore and associate monitoring methods
Set-up bore side protection controls to avoid foreign material ingress into the pipe bore
Remove materials using manual processes, including powered and non-powered equipment
Achieve a quality of work to meet international standards e.g. ISO 5817, ISO 9606, ASME IX, ASME B31.3 for dimensional, surface inspection (e.g. Visual, Magnetic Particle, Dye Penetrant) and volumetric inspection (e.g. Radiography, Ultrasonic inspection, including Time of Flight and Phased Array methods).
Monitor weld quality and dimensions throughout welding activity and on completion of welding and report any issues through organisational production / quality control process prior to release for formal examination by others
Restore the work area on completion of the activity and where applicable return any resources and consumables to the appropriate location
Deal promptly and effectively with problems within the limits of their responsibility using approved diagnostic methods and techniques
Complete any required documentation using the defined recording systems at the appropriate stages of the work activity
Produce pipe welds using two welding processes from TIG, PAW, MMA, MIG/MAG, FCAW
Produce pipe welds using four material groups from Carbon Steel, Low Alloy Steel, High Alloy Ferritic/Martensitic Steel, Austenitic Stainless Steel, Nickel & Nickel Alloys, Aluminium & Aluminium alloys, Titanium & Titanium Alloys, Copper & Copper Alloys
Produce pipe welds covering ALL defined pipe welding positions. These are Flat - Rotated Pipe; Horizontal - Fixed Vertical Pipe; Vertical Weld - Fixed Horizontal Pipe (either upward or downward progression); Inclined - Fixed 45 degree Pipe Overhead (either upward or downward progression)
Produce pipe welds in 3 main joint configurations from Single Sided Butt, Socket, Flange and Set-on Branch.
Produce pipe welds in by continually adjusting the orientation of the welder, welding torch, and welding consumable filler, including restricted access conditions
Produce pipe welds in restricted access conditions by welding with both left and right hands (e.g. boiler tube bundles, proximity of other plant and equipment, limited access locations, welds located with limited visibility of the weld joint)
Work safely at all times, comply with health & safety and environmental legislation, regulations and organisational requirements
Obtain, check and use appropriate documentation (such as job instructions, drawings, quality control documentation)
Plan all preparatory tasks and interfaces and pipe welding activity, before commencing work
Obtain, position and assemble welding equipment and associated safety protection needed for each activity
Prepare, check and protect materials and work areas ready for welding
Inspect the assembly to be welded and undertake remedial work to comply with specification, or implement quality steps if rejected
Receive, inspect, condition and maintain consumables
Set, test, and monitor key welding parameters as detailed within the Welding Procedure Specification and adjust as necessary to accommodate changing orientation as the weld progresses around the pipe joint.
Set-up purge protection within the pipe bore and associate monitoring methods
Set-up bore side protection controls to avoid foreign material ingress into the pipe bore
Remove materials using manual processes, including powered and non-powered equipment
Achieve a quality of work to meet international standards e.g. ISO 5817, ISO 9606, ASME IX, ASME B31.3 for dimensional, surface inspection (e.g. Visual, Magnetic Particle, Dye Penetrant) and volumetric inspection (e.g. Radiography, Ultrasonic inspection, including Time of Flight and Phased Array methods).
Monitor weld quality and dimensions throughout welding activity and on completion of welding and report any issues through organisational production / quality control process prior to release for formal examination by others
Restore the work area on completion of the activity and where applicable return any resources and consumables to the appropriate location
Deal promptly and effectively with problems within the limits of their responsibility using approved diagnostic methods and techniques
Complete any required documentation using the defined recording systems at the appropriate stages of the work activity
Produce pipe welds using two welding processes from TIG, PAW, MMA, MIG/MAG, FCAW
Produce pipe welds using four material groups from Carbon Steel, Low Alloy Steel, High Alloy Ferritic/Martensitic Steel, Austenitic Stainless Steel, Nickel & Nickel Alloys, Aluminium & Aluminium alloys, Titanium & Titanium Alloys, Copper & Copper Alloys
Produce pipe welds covering ALL defined pipe welding positions. These are Flat - Rotated Pipe; Horizontal - Fixed Vertical Pipe; Vertical Weld - Fixed Horizontal Pipe (either upward or downward progression); Inclined - Fixed 45 degree Pipe Overhead (either upward or downward progression)
Produce pipe welds in 3 main joint configurations from Single Sided Butt, Socket, Flange and Set-on Branch.
Produce pipe welds in by continually adjusting the orientation of the welder, welding torch, and welding consumable filler, including restricted access conditions
Produce pipe welds in restricted access conditions by welding with both left and right hands (e.g. boiler tube bundles, proximity of other plant and equipment, limited access locations, welds located with limited visibility of the weld joint)

Your training plan

Approximately 10 months of off-the-job training will be undertaken at our training centre in Tipton, West Midlands
Once completed, you will then be placed on one of sites, which are based all over the UK to continue your learning and applying the skills and knowledge learnt

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 4 / C)
Maths (grade 4 / C)

Other in:

English (grade C)
English (grade Pass)
Maths (grade Pass)
Maths (grade C)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Logical
Team working
Initiative
Non judgemental
Patience

About this company

Altrad is a specialist in the delivery of engineering, aftermarket and upgrade services to the nuclear, oil and gas, petrochemical and process sectors. With a focus on the delivery of low-carbon technologies and an industry leading project management capability, the company builds, maintains and extends the life of customer assets worldwide At Altrad, we offer industry leading advanced apprenticeship programmes in Welding, Erecting / Rigging, Pipefitting and Project Controls. Our training Centre in Tipton, West Midlands has been welcoming young people to train and learn with us for over 50 years.

https://uk.altradservices.com/apprenticeships/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

• 25 days holiday plus statutory holidays (with the option to buy more) • Employee benefits package including a huge array of discounts and schemes like Cycle to Work

After this apprenticeship

May lead to a permanent position once the apprenticeship has successfully been completed.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

ALTRAD EMPLOYMENT SERVICES LIMITED

Jon Davies

Jon.davies@altrad.com

01212819844

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000309335.

Apply now

Closes on Sunday 1 June 2025

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After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.

Company’s application instructions

Once applications have been received, these will be reviewed and those who meet our recruitment criteria will be invited to attend and assessment day at our training centre in Tipton, West Midlands. At the assessment day, candidates will take part in both practical and theory based assessments, and if successful, be invited to attend an interview.

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