Pipe Welding Apprentice

EET Fuels

Cheshire (CH65 4HB)

Closes on Friday 10 April 2026

Posted on 2 March 2026

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Contents

Summary

This is your chance to gain hands-on experience, learn how to produce safe, accurate and high‑quality welded pipe systems while studying towards a Level 3 Welding Qualification. You will do on-site learning (4 days per week week) and college-based study (1 day per week) putting theory into practice from day one.

Wage

£16,560 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

We will be paying £16,560 in the apprentices first year, then this could increase in their second year depending on age.

Training course
Pipe welder (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Friday, 8.00am - 4.00pm

37 hours 35 minutes a week

Start date

Tuesday 8 September 2026

Duration

4 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

  • Real-world experience in a live refinery environment
  • Mentorship from experienced employees
  • A clear path for progression within the business
  • A nationally recognised qualification
  • A supportive team that’s invested in your growth

 What You’ll Be Doing:

  • Gain hands‑on experience in welding and fabrication
  • Work under the guidance of skilled Pipe Welders and supervisors
  • Undertake different types of welds using a range of techniques
  • Ensuring conformity to standards
  • Developing a wide range of technical skills
  • Engage with a wide range of colleagues and specialists, including Engineers, Pipe Fitters, Riggers, Stores Operatives, Welding Inspectors, NDT Technicians, Quality teams and Insurance Inspectors
  • Following strict safety procedures and keeping your workspace organised

Where you'll work

The Administration Building 5th Floor
Stanlow Manufacturing Complex
Ellesmere Port
Cheshire
CH65 4HB

Training

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

Training provider

MARITIME + ENGINEERING COLLEGE NORTH WEST

Training course

Pipe 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
  • Obtain, check and use appropriate documentation (such as job instructions, drawings, quality control documentation)
  • Plan all preparatory tasks and interfaces and pipe welding activity, before commencing work
  • Obtain, position and assemble welding equipment and associated safety protection needed for each activity
  • Prepare, check and protect materials and work areas ready for welding
  • Inspect the 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 and adjust as necessary to accommodate changing orientation as the weld progresses around the pipe joint.
  • Set-up purge protection within the pipe bore and associate monitoring methods
  • Set-up bore side protection controls to avoid foreign material ingress into the pipe bore
  • Remove materials using manual processes, including powered and non-powered equipment
  • Achieve a quality of work to meet international standards e.g. ISO 5817, ISO 9606, ASME IX, ASME B31.3 for dimensional, surface inspection (e.g. Visual, Magnetic Particle, Dye Penetrant) and volumetric inspection (e.g. Radiography, Ultrasonic inspection, including Time of Flight and Phased Array methods).
  • Monitor weld quality and dimensions throughout welding activity and on completion of welding and report any issues through organisational production / quality control process prior to release for formal examination by others
  • Restore the work area on completion of the activity and where applicable return any resources and consumables to the appropriate location
  • Deal promptly and effectively with problems within the limits of their responsibility using approved diagnostic methods and techniques
  • Complete any required documentation using the defined recording systems at the appropriate stages of the work activity
  • Produce pipe welds using two welding processes from TIG, PAW, MMA, MIG/MAG, FCAW
  • Produce pipe welds using four material groups 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 pipe welds covering ALL defined pipe welding positions. These are Flat - Rotated Pipe; Horizontal - Fixed Vertical Pipe; Vertical Weld - Fixed Horizontal Pipe (either upward or downward progression); Inclined - Fixed 45 degree Pipe Overhead (either upward or downward progression)
  • Produce pipe welds in 3 main joint configurations from Single Sided Butt, Socket, Flange and Set-on Branch.
  • Produce pipe welds in by continually adjusting the orientation of the welder, welding torch, and welding consumable filler, including restricted access conditions
  • Produce pipe welds in restricted access conditions by welding with both left and right hands (e.g. boiler tube bundles, proximity of other plant and equipment, limited access locations, welds located with limited visibility of the weld joint)
  • Work safely at all times, comply with health & safety and environmental legislation, regulations and organisational requirements
  • Obtain, check and use appropriate documentation (such as job instructions, drawings, quality control documentation)
  • Plan all preparatory tasks and interfaces and pipe welding activity, before commencing work
  • Obtain, position and assemble welding equipment and associated safety protection needed for each activity
  • Prepare, check and protect materials and work areas ready for welding
  • Inspect the 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 and adjust as necessary to accommodate changing orientation as the weld progresses around the pipe joint.
  • Set-up purge protection within the pipe bore and associate monitoring methods
  • Set-up bore side protection controls to avoid foreign material ingress into the pipe bore
  • Remove materials using manual processes, including powered and non-powered equipment
  • Achieve a quality of work to meet international standards e.g. ISO 5817, ISO 9606, ASME IX, ASME B31.3 for dimensional, surface inspection (e.g. Visual, Magnetic Particle, Dye Penetrant) and volumetric inspection (e.g. Radiography, Ultrasonic inspection, including Time of Flight and Phased Array methods).
  • Monitor weld quality and dimensions throughout welding activity and on completion of welding and report any issues through organisational production / quality control process prior to release for formal examination by others
  • Restore the work area on completion of the activity and where applicable return any resources and consumables to the appropriate location
  • Deal promptly and effectively with problems within the limits of their responsibility using approved diagnostic methods and techniques
  • Complete any required documentation using the defined recording systems at the appropriate stages of the work activity
  • Produce pipe welds using two welding processes from TIG, PAW, MMA, MIG/MAG, FCAW
  • Produce pipe welds using four material groups 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 pipe welds covering ALL defined pipe welding positions. These are Flat - Rotated Pipe; Horizontal - Fixed Vertical Pipe; Vertical Weld - Fixed Horizontal Pipe (either upward or downward progression); Inclined - Fixed 45 degree Pipe Overhead (either upward or downward progression)
  • Produce pipe welds in 3 main joint configurations from Single Sided Butt, Socket, Flange and Set-on Branch.
  • Produce pipe welds in by continually adjusting the orientation of the welder, welding torch, and welding consumable filler, including restricted access conditions
  • Produce pipe welds in restricted access conditions by welding with both left and right hands (e.g. boiler tube bundles, proximity of other plant and equipment, limited access locations, welds located with limited visibility of the weld joint)

Training schedule

  • Training will take place At The Engineering College based in Birkenhead
  • The mode of attendance for college is one day per week  training and the other 4 days wtihin your work place based in Ellesmere Port

More training information

Part of your Training on your day release programme will involve practical and theory work

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4 or above)
  • Maths (grade 4 or above)

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

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Administrative skills
  • Team working

Other requirements

  • Detail-oriented and safety-conscious
  • Curious about how things work
  • Team players with a can-do attitude
  • Able to follow instructions and take initiative
  • Problem-solving techniques
  • DBS checks if required by Company and Training Provider
  • Attention to detail

About this employer

Stanlow Manufacturing Complex is a strategic refinery producing a range of fuels and chemicals serving major retail brands, airlines and transport.

After this apprenticeship

  • On the job training supported by college day release embed with internal & external training courses
  • Coded to ASME1X level

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

MARITIME + ENGINEERING COLLEGE NORTH WEST

Elaine Kerr

e.kerr@theengineeringcollege.co.uk

07770349902

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000018662.

Apply now

Closes on Friday 10 April 2026

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.