Shepherd Offshore Limited - Level 3 Plate Welder Apprenticeship
SHEPHERD OFFSHORE LTD
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE (NE6 3NH)
Closes in 23 days (Thursday 24 July 2025)
Posted on 30 June 2025
Contents
Summary
Shepherd Offshore is offering an exciting opportunity for a motivated individual to join our team as a Level 3 Plate Welder Apprentice. This hands-on role is ideal for someone passionate about engineering and fabrication, eager to learn from experienced professionals in a dynamic and supportive environment.
- Wage
-
£14,918.80 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Plate welder (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 16:00.
*note this may vary to 08:30 to 16:00hrs depending upon which department*
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 9 September 2025
- Duration
-
3 years
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
As a Plate Welder Apprentice, you will:
- Prepare and set up welding equipment and materials.
Interpret technical drawings and specifications. - Perform welding operations
- Cut, shape, and join heavy gauge metal plates.
- Inspect and test welds for quality and accuracy.
- Maintain a clean and safe working environment.
- Work alongside skilled tradespeople and contribute to real-world projects.
- Participate in off-the-job training and assessments to support your qualification.
Where you'll work
OFFSHORE TECHNOLOGY PARK
1 RENDLE ROAD
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE6 3NH
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
College or training organisation
NCG
Your training course
Plate welder (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Work safely at all times, comply with health, safety and environmental legislation, regulations and organisational requirements.
- Can obtain, check and use appropriate documentation (such as job instructions, drawings, quality control documentation).
- Plan and prepare welding activities before commencing the work.
- Obtain, position and assemble welding equipment and associated safety protection needed for activity.
- Prepare, check and protect materials and work areas ready for welding.
- Inspect assembly to be welded and undertake remedial work to comply with specification, or implement quality steps if rejected.
- Receive, inspect, condition and maintain consumables.
- Set, test and monitor key welding parameters as detailed within the Welding Procedure Specification.
- Deal promptly and effectively with problems within the limits of their responsibility using approved diagnostic methods and techniques and report those which cannot be resolved to the appropriate personnel.
- Use manual processes and equipment to remove material (powered and non‐powered).
- Achieves a quality of work to meet international standards e.g. ISO5817, ISO9606, ASME IX, AWS D1.1 for dimensional, surface inspection (e.g. Visual, Magnetic Particle, Dye Penetrant) and volumetric inspection (e.g. Radiography, Ultrasonic inspection).
- Complete progressive and final checks on the weld prior to release for formal inspection and report into the production control system at the appropriate stages of the work activity.
- Restore the work area on completion of the activity and where applicable return any resources and consumables to the appropriate location.
- Produce welds in plate and/or structural components using two welding processes from TIG, PAW, MMA, MIG/MAG, FCAW.
- Produce welds in plate and/or structural components using two materials from Carbon Steel, Low Alloy Steel, High Alloy Ferritic/Martensitic Steel, Austenitic Stainless Steel, Nickel & Nickel Alloys, Aluminium & Aluminium alloys, Titanium & Titanium Alloys, Copper & Copper Alloys.
- Produce welds in plate and/or structural components covering three plate welding positions which must include Vertical (either upward or downward progression) and overhead.
- Produce plate welds in 3 main joint configurations (Single or Double Sided Butt, Single or Double Sided T‐Butt & Fillet)
- Work safely at all times, comply with health, safety and environmental legislation, regulations and organisational requirements.
- Can obtain, check and use appropriate documentation (such as job instructions, drawings, quality control documentation).
- Plan and prepare welding activities before commencing the work.
- Obtain, position and assemble welding equipment and associated safety protection needed for activity.
- Prepare, check and protect materials and work areas ready for welding.
- Inspect assembly to be welded and undertake remedial work to comply with specification, or implement quality steps if rejected.
- Receive, inspect, condition and maintain consumables.
- Set, test and monitor key welding parameters as detailed within the Welding Procedure Specification.
- Deal promptly and effectively with problems within the limits of their responsibility using approved diagnostic methods and techniques and report those which cannot be resolved to the appropriate personnel.
- Use manual processes and equipment to remove material (powered and non‐powered).
- Achieves a quality of work to meet international standards e.g. ISO5817, ISO9606, ASME IX, AWS D1.1 for dimensional, surface inspection (e.g. Visual, Magnetic Particle, Dye Penetrant) and volumetric inspection (e.g. Radiography, Ultrasonic inspection).
- Complete progressive and final checks on the weld prior to release for formal inspection and report into the production control system at the appropriate stages of the work activity.
- Restore the work area on completion of the activity and where applicable return any resources and consumables to the appropriate location.
- Produce welds in plate and/or structural components using two welding processes from TIG, PAW, MMA, MIG/MAG, FCAW.
- Produce welds in plate and/or structural components using two materials from Carbon Steel, Low Alloy Steel, High Alloy Ferritic/Martensitic Steel, Austenitic Stainless Steel, Nickel & Nickel Alloys, Aluminium & Aluminium alloys, Titanium & Titanium Alloys, Copper & Copper Alloys.
- Produce welds in plate and/or structural components covering three plate welding positions which must include Vertical (either upward or downward progression) and overhead.
- Produce plate welds in 3 main joint configurations (Single or Double Sided Butt, Single or Double Sided T‐Butt & Fillet)
Your training plan
- 4 days per week at Shepherd Offshore.
- 1 day per week at Newcastle College.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4)
- Maths (grade 4)
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Analytical skills
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Patience
About this company
We are an established, innovative and driven organisation, working in partnership with employees, suppliers, local government and customers alike and we will stop at nothing to deliver the best solutions and expertise possible. Local teamwork, with global results. The Company has strategically invested and developed local infrastructure which has directly attracted the Oil and Gas sector, Marine, Renewable Energy providers and Construction Industries to the Region & beyond. All supported and communicated through our many corporate values based on responsible regeneration and partnership working.
After this apprenticeship
Continued employment for the right candidate.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
NCG
Newcastle College
apprenticeships@ncl-coll.ac.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000328827.
Apply now
Closes in 23 days (Thursday 24 July 2025)
When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.