Welder

Job overview
Welders join two or more pieces of metal together, using various processes and types of welding equipment.

What do people do in this job?
Welders?' ?work includes repair and maintenance welding and construction and fabrication.

They weld many types of metal and, before they start, have to decide which process to use.

They take into consideration the type of metal, its thickness etc.

They must also make sure that all safety regulations to protect their hands and eyes are met.

Recognising and correcting welding defects and interpreting engineering drawings and specifications are also part of this job.

Welders' skills are used in building and maintaining pipelines, boilers, nuclear reactors, motor cars and are vital to the ship building or repair industry.

Welders operate in a variety of conditions and may sometimes have to work on large constructions, sometimes in confined spaces.

What kinds of people are suitable for this career?
Welders need physical fitness, good eye-hand coordination and the ability to concentrate for long stretches of time.

They must be able to work very accurately, paying attention to detail and also to interpret technical and engineering drawings.

What qualifications are needed?
There are no formal qualifications.