Welders join or sever metals in beams, girders, vessels, piping and other metal components, make metal parts used in construction and manufacturing plants, and weld parts, tools, machines and equipment.

Welding usually involves applying heat to metal pieces to melt and fuse them together. In electric arc welding, heat is created as electric current flows through an arc between the tip of the welding electrode and the metal. In gas welding, such as oxy-acetylene welding, the flame from the combustion of burning gases melts the metal. In both arc and gas welding, filler materials are melted and added to fill the joint and make it stronger. In resistance welding, the metal piece itself is melted as current flows through it, and no filler is added.

Welders use different welding processes and fillers depending upon the type of metal, its size and shape, and requirements for finished product strength. For a typical welding project, they develop patterns for projects or follow directions given in layouts, blueprints and work orders; clean, check for defects and shape component parts, sometimes using a cutting torch; and weld parts together.

Welders may also build up worn parts by welding layers of high-strength hard-metal alloys onto them.

Welders work in a wide variety of work environments. They may work outdoors on construction sites or indoors in production and repair shops. Welders are employed in a variety of industries including vessel or structural steel assembly, pipeline construction, commercial construction, industrial construction, steel fabrication and heavy equipment repair. Employment prospects for welders change with seasonal and economic climates.

Experienced welders may advance to positions such as welding inspector, welding foreman or supervisor, or plant supervisor. Some open their own repair shops, or work as portable rig welders who contract out their services.

Program Contact:

Apprenticeship Duration

3 years including both in-school and on the job training

Educational Requirement

Grade 12 or equivalency

In-School Training:

Northern College offers the three levels of theoretical training required for the Welder apprenticeship program. Theory and shop classes concentrate on welding and fabrication safety practices related to the trade. Included is the safe and correct use of hand and power tools, arc welding and cutting processes, material handling theory and practical exercises, blueprint reading, layout and fabricating methods on structural steel, bridges, tanks, boilers and pressure vessels.

Introductory theory in metallurgy, codes and quality control methods are taught. This gives the student a good understanding of the complexities and engineering involved in fabricating structural steel components and manufacturing, high pressure, processing equipment, components for plants, and other industries that rely on quality fabrication.

The program consists of:

Level I (10 weeks; 300 hours) – Block A

WA1013 Welding Theory
WA1002 Materials and Process Quality1
WA1003 Applied Blueprint Reading
WA1010 Welding and Cutting
WA1012 Trade Practices
WA1023 Trade Mathematics

The above subjects correspond to the following Apprenticeship reportable subjects: Trade Practices, Applied Blueprint Reading, Welding Theory 1, Materials and Process Quality I, Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) Practical 1, Gas Shielded Semi-Automatic Welding Practical I, and Thermal Cutting.

Level II (6 weeks; 180 hours) – Block C

WA3003 Blueprint Reading and Fitting
WA3013 Shielded Metal Arc Welding
WA3002 Welding Theory
WA3023 Semi-automatic Welding
WA3012 Gas Tungsten Arc Welding

The above subjects correspond directly to the apprenticeship reportable subjects.

Level III (8 weeks; 240 hours) – Block E

WA5003 Welding Quality
WA5006 Fitting
WA5013 Shielded Metal Arc Welding
WA5002 Automatic and Semiautomatic Welding Processes
WA5023 Gas Tungsten Arc Welding and Plasma Arc Welding

The above subjects correspond directly to the apprenticeship reportable subjects.