Apprentice Pipe welder

R TINDALL (FABRICATORS) LTD

OLDHAM (OL9 9ND)

Closes in 31 days (Thursday 18 June 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 18 May 2026

Print

Contents

Summary

TIG AND MIG WELDING OF FIRE SPRINKLER PIPES.

Fire sprinkler systems rely on strong, leak-free piping networks that must meet strict safety standards. Welding is commonly used in sprinkler pipe fabrication and installation, particularly for steel systems in commercial and industrial buildings.

Wage

£15,392 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Pipe welder (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Thursday - 8am - 4.30pm Friday - 8am - 3.30pm

37 hours a week

Start date

Thursday 25 June 2026

Duration

4 years

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

  • Understanding engineering drawings
  • Tig & mig welding
  • Measuring the pipe using a tape measure accurately
  • Checking quality of your welds before sending to the next process, spotting any defects and ensuring they are patched up, ensuring there is no pinholes, undercuts or porosity and grinding welds when required

Where you'll work

UNIT 1
HARGREAVES STREET
OLDHAM
OL9 9ND

Training

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

Training provider

ROCHDALE TRAINING ASSOCIATION LIMITED

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

Pipe Welder Level 3.

The candidate will attend Rochdale training one day per week on a day release to complete the apprenticeship course.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4)
  • Maths (grade 4)

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

Skills

  • Attention to detail
  • Problem solving skills
  • Logical
  • Physical fitness

About this employer

R Tindall provides manufacturing and distribution particles to the Uk, Ireland and Europe.

We are the market leading supplier of bespoke pre-fabricated fire sprinkler pipe and mechanical pipework serving the commercial fire and mechanical services industry right across the UK and Europe.

Renowned for excellent customer service and continuous investment in world class technology and people, the journey from your initial enquiry to your delivery arriving on site is effortless and rapid.

All orders are project managed, quality assessed, packaged, and reliably delivered meeting tight deadlines and on-site delivery needs, wherever you are in the world.

After this apprenticeship

This position can lead to potentially production Manager/operations Manager or robotic welding manager all roles above £55 K.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

ROCHDALE TRAINING ASSOCIATION LIMITED

Jacob Evans

jevans@rochdaletraining.co.uk

01706631417

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000032179.

Apply now

Closes in 31 days (Thursday 18 June 2026 at 11:59pm)