Boilermaker Level III Apprenticeship

Engineering Fabrication Trade (Boilermaking/Welding)

Apprentices in pursuit of this type of work usually work with heavy gauge steel for engineering companies involved in fabrication and development of items generally manufactured in steel of various thicknesses but can be also work with non-ferrous materials. They will be required to use a range of hand tools, specialist measuring equipment and work from detailed drawings to cut, shape and assemble steel components using MIG, stick, submerged arc, oxy and other welding equipment.

They may be involved in the development and fabrication of structural items such as structural beams, building supports, gantries, crane carriages and jibs. Apprentices will normally manufacture products with plate steel, angle iron, RHS, round section, Ibeam, Usections and some plastic material. Another application of the skill could involve the manufacture of mining equipment, large trailer bodies, excavation buckets, storage bins, transformer containers, pressure vessels, hoppers, cooling towers, smoke stacks and large pipe work.

Welders may specialize in the different types of welding, such as pressure vessel welding, machinery and equipment repair welding, ship building and repair, pipeline construction welding and structural construction welding. Involvement in this type of work would require an enclosed and well equipped workshop. They may also be employed in the construction industry using a variety of welding methods either manually or by machine for major structures – buildings, bridges etc.