Welding Apprentice

SICO EUROPE LTD

Ashford (TN23 6JS)

Closes in 29 days (Sunday 5 July 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 5 June 2026


Summary

An exciting opportunity to join SICO Europe. This role offers hands-on experience in welding, where you will learn to work with a range of high-quality manufacturing projects. You will be supported by a experienced team as you develop your technical skills, gain industry knowledge, and work towards a qualification in welding.

Wage

£16,640 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
Welder (level 2)
Hours
Working Monday to Friday 8am- 5pm

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 20 July 2026

Duration

1 year 9 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

  • As an Apprentice Welder at SICO Europe, you will support the production team by learning and carrying out a range of welding and fabrication tasks
  • Day-to-day, you will assist with preparing materials, measuring and cutting components, and using welding equipment to join metal parts safely and accurately
  • You will read and work from technical drawings, help assemble products, and carry out basic quality checks to ensure work meets required standards
  • Under the guidance of experienced welders, you will also maintain tools and equipment, follow health and safety procedures, and gradually build the skills needed to work independently on fabrication projects

Where you'll work

5 Wotton Road
Ashford
TN23 6JS

Training

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

Training provider

EKC GROUP

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

This training schedule has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

More training information

  • Workshops at EKC Canterbury College one day a week 
  • Trainer visits to the workplace once every 6-8 weeks 

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths and English (grade 4/C/Level 2 Functional Skills)

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
  • Number skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Logical
  • Initiative

About this employer

At the heart of every establishment in the Education, Hospitality, Convention Centres, Stadiums, & Arenas markets lies the need for impeccable furnishing— a need SICO has been fulfilling since 1951.
Our journey began with a simple premise: to equip spaces with furniture and equipment that not only stand the test of time but also effortlessly adapt to the ebb and flow of daily demands. Our products are designed for mobility, ensuring easy set-up, break down, and the ability to transform spaces to cater to varying event needs. Over the decades, this combined commitment to quality and flexibility has positioned us as a global trusted partner, adept at turning ordinary spaces into multifunctional and remarkable environments.

https://www.sicoinc.com/en-gb/europe/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

  • Could lead to progression

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

EKC GROUP

Blue Vinall

Blue.Vinall@eastkent.ac.uk

01227811315

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000035517.

Apply now

Closes in 29 days (Sunday 5 July 2026 at 11:59pm)