Pipe Welder (Level 3 Standard)

This occupation is found in a wide range of sectors where piping systems are used for fluid transport and pressure containment. This will include Engineering Construction, Maintenance and Project upgrades, Oil & Gas (upstream extraction, bulk fluid transport & distribution, downstream processing), Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals (manufacturing and process plant); Power Generation (Thermal, Biomass & Nuclear); Food, Dairy & Brewery Process plant and equipment; Water and Water treatment (processing, bulk transport & distribution and remediation); and Fuel & Coolant systems for Transport Vehicles (Aerospace, Marine, Road & Rail systems). Employers range in size from small businesses to multi-national organisations.

For Level 3 apprenticeships, learners are generally required to have a minimum of 3-5 GCSEs (including Maths and English) at grade 4 (C) or above prior to enrolment. However, for applicants aged 19 or older, this requirement may be waived at the discretion of the employer and training provider, depending on the role and individual circumstances.

• Hands-on Training & College Learning: Apprentices work on-site in engineering construction, manufacturing, and maintenance environments while attending college weekly on a day release basis. They weld piping systems using multiple arc welding processes, gaining hands-on experience in preparing materials, maintaining bore cleanliness, and producing precision welds for pressurised systems.

• Wide-Ranging Curriculum: The course covers manual welding techniques using at least two processes such as Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG), Plasma Arc Welding (PAW), Manual Metal Arc (MMA), Metal Inert Gas (MIG)/Metal Active Gas (MAG) and Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW). Apprentices also learn pipework preparation, weld inspection, safety protocols, technical specifications, and compliance with industry standards for fluid transport and pressure containment.

• Specialist Pathways: Learners may specialise in 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, or coded welding. Employers may support additional training in non-destructive testing, welding in confined spaces, or multi-positional welding depending on sector needs and project complexity.

• Career-Ready Qualification: Upon completion (typically 4 years), apprentices earn a Level 3 qualification and are ready for roles like pipe welder, welding technician, or fabrication specialist, with progression into coded welder certification, supervisory roles, or advanced welding and inspection pathways.

For a comprehensive understanding of this programme and what it entails, please click here.

This welding Apprenticeship is taught at our London Road campus on a day release basis, attending college 2 days a week in the first year and 1 day a week in the second year. If you need to complete your functional skills, then this will be covered at college in a block week release. In addition, you will be assessed in the workplace by your assessor and progress reviewed every 12 weeks with your employer. In addition, you will be required to sit an End Point Assessment, towards the final stages of your programme, which will ensure you have obtained the skills, knowledge and behaviours required to carry out your role effectively.

Typically, this Apprenticeship will take four years to complete, plus the End Point Assessment period.

To be an apprentice, you will need an employer who can offer you a specific role relevant to this apprenticeship and release you for your training. Once you have an employer in place, you can apply online. If after reading this fact sheet, you are still undecided about the course most suitable for you, please drop into one of our advice events, ring the Apprenticeship Team on 01743 653444 or email apprenticeships@shrewsbury.ac.uk