Career library · Building, repairing and making

Welder and fitter

Joining and assembling metal so it holds

What people in this work actually do

Read drawings, measure and cut metal, weld joints to the required standard, assemble and align components, check tolerances, and finish and inspect the work.

This may suit you if…

You are patient with precise work, you have steady hands, and you take pride in a joint that is genuinely sound rather than one that merely looks it.

The hard parts

Heat, sparks, fumes and noise. Eye and lung protection must be used properly every time. Standing or crouching in one position for long periods. Site work can mean living away from home.

We show these because nobody else will.

What people get wrong about this

That anyone can weld. Welding to a standard that will hold under load is a tested skill, and certified welders are paid very differently from untrained ones.

What this looks like in a smaller town

Fabrication workshops in market towns make gates, grills, water tanks and farm equipment, and a certified welder can also find work on construction and pipeline projects.

Ways into this work

There is almost always more than one route, and the cheapest is often perfectly respected.

Short welding course

Short skill course · Starts from Class Classes 9 and 10

A two to six month welding course under a government skill scheme.

How long
6 months
What it costs
Not yet verified
Available near you?
In most districts

How to do it
Ask at your block skill centre which welding course is running and whether it includes a certificate.

ITI welder trade

ITI trade course · Starts from Class Classes 9 and 10

The one or two year welder trade at an Industrial Training Institute.

How long
2 years
What it costs
Not yet verified
Available near you?
In most districts

How to do it
Note which welding trades your nearest government ITI offers, and their duration.

Fitter apprenticeship

Apprenticeship (learn while earning) · Starts from Class Classes 9 and 10

Learn fitting with an employer under the apprenticeship scheme.

How long
3 years
What it costs
Not yet verified
Available near you?
In district towns

How to do it
Search the apprenticeship portal for fitter vacancies within travelling distance.

Skills that matter here

Essential

Using hand tools

Holding and using tools safely and accurately.

Essential

Working safely

Spotting a hazard before it hurts somebody.

Essential

Measuring accurately

Getting a length, a weight or a quantity right.

Useful

Working in a team

Doing your part and helping the group finish.

See whether this fits your family

School is one of five parts of growing up. See how your child is doing across all five, what to try next at their age, and what it would honestly cost in your area.

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Sources

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