Welder
Also advertised as: aircraft welder, boiler welder, Coded Welder, construction welder, Fabricator, maintenance technician
Joins metal to specification using MIG, TIG or arc welding techniques.
What the job involves
Welders fabricate and repair metal structures and components to defined standards. Coded welders working to specific procedures in pipework, pressure or structural steel earn substantially more, and offshore or specialist work more again.
Typical responsibilities
- Weld to drawings and procedure specifications
- Prepare and fit up materials
- Inspect welds for defects
- Maintain equipment and consumables
- Work to safety and PPE requirements
Common employers
- Fabrication shops
- Shipyards
- Construction steelwork firms
- Oil and gas contractors
- Rail depots
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£24,000 – £30,000 a year
With experience
£35,000 – £50,000 a year
Typical hours
40 to 45 hours plus overtime
Working environment
Workshop or site, with PPE
Remote working
on_site
Demand for this work
high
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- MIG, TIG or MMA welding
- Drawing interpretation
- Fabrication
- Weld inspection
- Hand and power tools
Transferable skills you may already have
- Practical metalwork
- Steady hand and precision
- Workshop experience
Requirements employers ask for
- MIG, TIG or MMA welding
- Drawing interpretation
- Fabrication
- Weld inspection
- Hand and power tools
- Level 2 or 3 welding qualification
- Welder coding tests for pressure and structural work
- CSCS for sites
- handle fuels
- perform test run
- wear appropriate protective gear
- recognise signs of corrosion
- operate welding equipment
- torch temperature for metal processes
- perform metal inert gas welding
- apply precision metalworking techniques
- select filler metal
- interpret 2D plans
- apply arc welding techniques
- smooth burred surfaces
Useful but not essential
- Practical metalwork
- Steady hand and precision
- Workshop experience
- Coding to BS EN ISO 9606
- CSWIP certification
- mechanics of vessels
- defense system
- metal smoothing technologies
- apply preliminary treatment to workpieces
- record production data for quality control
- work ergonomically
- follow safety procedures when working at heights
- perform welding inspection
Helpful qualifications
- Coding to BS EN ISO 9606
- CSWIP certification
Licences and checks
- Welder coding tests for pressure and structural work
- CSCS for sites
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- General Welder (Level 2)
- Plate Welder (Level 3)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Fabrication and welding
- Related subject: Engineering
Where this career can lead
next
Coded Welder
next
Welding Inspector
next
Fabrication Supervisor
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Coded welders earn very well
- Skills are portable worldwide
- Contract work pays premium rates
What people find hard
- Hot, noisy and physically demanding
- Health risks require strict PPE
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a welder?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. not_required
- How much does a welder earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £24,000 to £30,000 a year, rising towards £50,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Practical metalwork, Steady hand and precision, Workshop experience.
Related careers
Process Engineer
Designs and optimises industrial processes such as chemical, food or pharmaceutical production.
Manufacturing Engineer
Designs and improves the processes used to build products on a production line.
Production Planner
Schedules manufacturing activity so materials, machines and people are ready when needed.
Quality Inspector
Checks parts and products against specifications to catch defects before they reach customers.
Machine Operator
Sets up and runs production machinery to manufacture parts or products.
Toolmaker
Makes and repairs the precision tools, jigs and moulds used in manufacturing.
Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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