L3 Pipe Welding Apprenticeship (Hitchin)

Summary

Are you ready to kick-start your career with hands-on experience and top-notch training? As a Pipe Welding apprentice, you won’t be sat behind a screen; you'll split your time between learning out on site, working alongside experts solving real-world problems and studying at college.

Wage: £24,242 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Training course: Pipe welder (level 3)
Hours: Year 1 - Learning offside at college during term time. Year 2,3,4 you’ll spend one day a week during term time, released for college.
37 hours a week
Possible start date: Monday 1 September
Duration: 4 years
Positions available: 2

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

Weld tubes and pipes to a high standard, using a minimum of two manual arc welding processes
Identification and the causes of typical welding defects and how their occurrence can be reduced
Welding quality documentation, organisational reporting systems, procedures and their role within the overall quality process
Health and Safety in the engineering sector
Forming and assembling pipework systems
Preparing and using Manual Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) or Plasma Arc Welding (PAW)
Metallurgy of steels and alloys
Weld positions and codings
Weld testing
Reading technical drawings and welding symbols

Where you’ll work

Cadwell Lane

Hitchin

SG4 0SL

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

RIVERSIDE COLLEGE

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

During first year term time, you’ll be at Ofsted ‘outstanding’ Riverside College Widnes (in between Liverpool and Manchester). Here you'll stay and study during the week to learn the foundations of the trade, with all travel and accommodation expenses covered by National Gas. In your second and third year, you’ll spend one day a week during term time, released for college. Outside of term time, you’ll often be invited to complete additional trainings and courses as part of your National Gas journey.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

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

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
Number skills
Logical
Team working
Creative
Initiative
Non judgemental
Patience
Physical fitness

About this company

National Gas Transmission is the backbone of Britain’s energy system today and will play a leading role in the transition to a clean energy future that works for every home and business. We own and operate the national gas network, delivering energy to where it is needed in every part of the country.

http://www.nationalgas.com (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Career progression, professional training and development. Employee assistance programme offering free confidential professional counselling 24/7. Excellent family friendly provisions - maternity/paternity/adoption/surrogacy/ shared parental leave.

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

After gaining experience you may choose to specialise in a particular area within your field to gain further knowledge and qualifications.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

National Gas

Clare Johnson

earlycareers@nationalgas.com

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000303190.

Apply now

Closes in 13 days (Sunday 9 March)

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

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