Career spotlight
Welding trades
Average National Salaries (2020)
Age 20
£16,640
Age 35
£30,680
Age 50
£33,800
Average salary in the East Midlands: £29,640
What does this career do?
Welding trades workers join metal parts by welding, brazing and soldering, and cut and remove defects from metal using a variety of equipment and techniques.
Typical tasks
- selects appropriate welding equipment such as electric arc, gas torch, etc.
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connects wires to power supply, or hoses to oxygen, acetylene, argon, carbon dioxide, electric arc, or other source and adjusts controls to regulate gas pressure and rate of flow
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cuts metal pieces using gas torch or electric arc
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guides electrode or torch along line of weld, burns away damaged areas, and melts brazing alloy or solder into joints
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cleans and smoothes weld
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checks finished workpiece for defects and conformity with specification.
Current entry requirements
Entrants typically possess GCSEs/S grades or an appropriate GNVQ/GSVQ. Training is typically by apprenticeship incorporating practical experience and technical training. NVQs/SVQs are available at Levels 1, 2 and 3. Welders must normally pass a competency test in the particular type of welding to be carried out.
Percentage in work
Due to insufficient sample sizes, some data was excised.
Predicted employment status in 2022
Full-time
Part-time
Self Employed
Predicted employment levels in the East Midlands
Career related courses available at West Notts
About the statistics
Data is powered by LMI for All and is sourced from labour market statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the Institute for Employment Research, the Department for Works and Pensions, and the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.