Welder Apprentice

Birtley Group Ltd

County Durham (DH3 1JF)

Closes in 22 days (Friday 15 August 2025 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 23 July 2025

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Summary

The role may involve working independently or as part of a team and will involve developing, implementing, maintaining and improving. The role of a welder is responsible for welding lighting columns as per production drawings and works orders with strict adherence to quality standard.

Wage

£16,640 a year

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Training course
Welder (level 2)
Hours
Monday - Friday 7.00am - 3.30pm

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

2

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

  • The role may involve working independently or as part of a team and will involve developing, implementing, maintaining and improving  
  • With a focus on adding value, the role of a welder is responsible for welding Steel Lintels as per production drawings and works orders with strict adherence to quality standard, through support of functional areas, working across teams and resolving issues as requested  
  • The flexibility and responsiveness required allows the apprentice to develop a wide range of skills  
  • The welder is expected to deliver their responsibilities efficiently and with integrity - showing a positive attitude  
  • The role involves demonstrating strong communication skills (both written and verbal) and adopting a proactive approach to developing skills 

Where you'll work

Mary Avenue
Birtley
Chester le Street
County Durham
DH3 1JF

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

CITY OF SUNDERLAND COLLEGE

Training course

Welder (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Apply health and safety procedures including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • Collect and use information - text and data. For example, manufacturer's instructions, manuals, job instructions, drawings and quality control documentation.
  • Prepare welding materials and work area: sourcing, checking and protecting.
  • Prepare welding machines or equipment and safety protection measures, for example, check calibration and maintenance dates, inspection for cable damage.
  • Check and use or operate tools and equipment.
  • Set, modify and monitor welding controls, for example, current, arc voltage, wire feed speed, gas flow rates, polarity, mechanised tractor units.
  • Identify issues and actions required. Escalate issues or concerns.
  • Use manual processes and equipment to remove material before and after welding.
  • Weld using processes, for example, tungsten inert gas (TIG), plasma arc welding (PAW), manual metal arc (MMA), metal inert or metal active gas (MIG or MAG), flux cored arc welding (FCAW), submerged arc welding (SAW), tractor-mounted metal inert or metal active gas (MIG or MAG), tractor-mounted flux cored arc welding (FCAW), tractor-mounted or orbital tungsten inert gas (TIG), tractor-mounted or orbital plasma arc welding (PAW).
  • Adapt welding technique to weld different material groups, for example, carbon steel, low alloy steel (3-7% alloy content), high alloy ferritic or martensitic steel (>7% alloy content), austenitic stainless steel, duplex stainless steels, nickel and nickel alloys, aluminium and aluminium alloys, titanium and titanium alloys, copper and copper alloys.
  • Weld materials in different joint configurations, for example, butt, T-butt, fillet, cladding or buttering.
  • Adapt welding techniques to weld materials in different positions, for example, down-hand, horizontal-vertical, horizontal, vertical-up, vertical-down, overhead, inclined.
  • Identify surface defects.
  • Apply visual inspection, dimensional and alignment checks.
  • Restore the work area on completion of the welding activity, for example, clean equipment and machinery, tidy the work area, return excess resources and consumables.
  • Communicate verbally with others, for example, internal and external customers, colleagues, supervisors and managers.
  • Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards and guidance. Segregate resources for re-use, recycling and disposal.
  • Follow equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
  • Follow work instructions - verbal or written.
  • Apply team working principles.
  • Apply health and safety procedures including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • Collect and use information - text and data. For example, manufacturer's instructions, manuals, job instructions, drawings and quality control documentation.
  • Prepare welding materials and work area: sourcing, checking and protecting.
  • Prepare welding machines or equipment and safety protection measures, for example, check calibration and maintenance dates, inspection for cable damage.
  • Check and use or operate tools and equipment.
  • Set, modify and monitor welding controls, for example, current, arc voltage, wire feed speed, gas flow rates, polarity, mechanised tractor units.
  • Identify issues and actions required. Escalate issues or concerns.
  • Use manual processes and equipment to remove material before and after welding.
  • Weld using processes, for example, tungsten inert gas (TIG), plasma arc welding (PAW), manual metal arc (MMA), metal inert or metal active gas (MIG or MAG), flux cored arc welding (FCAW), submerged arc welding (SAW), tractor-mounted metal inert or metal active gas (MIG or MAG), tractor-mounted flux cored arc welding (FCAW), tractor-mounted or orbital tungsten inert gas (TIG), tractor-mounted or orbital plasma arc welding (PAW).
  • Adapt welding technique to weld different material groups, for example, carbon steel, low alloy steel (3-7% alloy content), high alloy ferritic or martensitic steel (>7% alloy content), austenitic stainless steel, duplex stainless steels, nickel and nickel alloys, aluminium and aluminium alloys, titanium and titanium alloys, copper and copper alloys.
  • Weld materials in different joint configurations, for example, butt, T-butt, fillet, cladding or buttering.
  • Adapt welding techniques to weld materials in different positions, for example, down-hand, horizontal-vertical, horizontal, vertical-up, vertical-down, overhead, inclined.
  • Identify surface defects.
  • Apply visual inspection, dimensional and alignment checks.
  • Restore the work area on completion of the welding activity, for example, clean equipment and machinery, tidy the work area, return excess resources and consumables.
  • Communicate verbally with others, for example, internal and external customers, colleagues, supervisors and managers.
  • Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards and guidance. Segregate resources for re-use, recycling and disposal.
  • Follow equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
  • Follow work instructions - verbal or written.
  • Apply team working principles.

Training schedule

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE or equivalent in:

  • English (grade 4-9)
  • Maths (grade 4-9)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Ability to ask questions
  • adhere to H & S rules
  • Administrative skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Be able to follow instructions
  • Communication skills
  • Customer care skills
  • IT skills
  • Number skills
  • Organisation skills
  • Problem solving skills

Other requirements

Public transport routes nearby.

About this employer

Great opportunity to join the welding department as a General Welder Apprentice Birtley Group is home to four of the UK construction industry’s most trusted names: Birtley, Bowater Doors, Expamet and Masonry Support. All four brands work side-by-side within the group, each continuing to develop and market its own well established range of products. The overall group structure, allow us to deliver even higher levels of customer service efficiency and market – leading value for money. Our Apprentice Welder role sits within the Birtley Brand. Birtley began life as Birtley Building Products in 1965, based at the current site in County Durham. Originally a steel fabricator for the areas mining and power generation industries, the company made its first steel lintels in 1967. Since then, Birtley has grown from reliable local supplier to a UK-wide force in construction design technology and product development.

After this apprenticeship

  • To grow with the business, our aim is to successfully train and develop an applicant in all areas of the welding systems, the procedures and the processes which can be utilised in a organisation 
  • The aim is to progress over time  
  • This role will be permanent after the 18-month Welding role, subject to KPI’s and performance 
     

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

CITY OF SUNDERLAND COLLEGE

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000333299.

Apply now

Closes in 22 days (Friday 15 August 2025 at 11:59pm)

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