Careers Spotlight: Welding

Welders are in high demand in the UK and across the globe. Their craft helps to shape the world around us. From skyscrapers, bridges and pipework, to state of the art nuclear submarines, a welder’s role is an essential part of the manufacturing process.

Are you drawn to the artistry of joining materials together? Do you love the thought of transforming raw metal into incredible structures? This role could be just the career you’re looking for.

In this article we’ll delve into the world of welding and explain more about the skills needed for welder jobs. Plus, we’ll talk about the kinds of real-world projects you could be involved with at BAE Systems.

What is a welder?

A welder is a highly skilled tradesperson who joins pieces of metal together. They use special tools and techniques, combined with intense heat, to fuse together material such as steel, iron and aluminium.

The four most popular welding techniques they use include MIG (metal inert gas), TIG (tungsten inert gas), SMAW (shielded metal arc) and FCAW (flux cored arc).

Welding is a vital part of the manufacturing process for all manner of metal structures. This makes it an in-demand skill within many industries, including:

• Automotive

• Aerospace

• Aeronautics

• Petrochemical

• Construction

• Shipbuilding

It’s a craft that requires good technical knowledge, precision, and a lot of experience to master. Expert training and lots of practice are essential.

What does a welder do in a typical day?

Welders often work closely with designers, engineers and fabricators. Together they turn a 2D blueprint into a full-scale structure. No two days are the same in this job but in a typical day you could be:

Preparing materials - Measuring, cutting and shaping metal pieces, ready for the welding process.

Setting up equipment - Ensuring all your tools and safety equipment are set up correctly and that you’re using the right method for the task in hand.

Welding joints - Fusing pieces of metal together to form large structures.

Inspecting your work - Checking your welds for any defects and making sure they meet quality standards.

How do you become a welder in the UK?

Pursuing a career in welding is an adventure, which requires continuous learning as you progress. Here’s how that journey typically starts:

Education and training - Begin with the basics by enrolling in a training programme. Look for courses offered by colleges or specialised trade schools, which cover key welding techniques like TIG and MIG welding.

Apprenticeships - One of the best ways to enter the field is through an apprenticeship. These programmes combine hands-on training with classroom learning, which allows you to earn while you learn. You’ll gain real-world experience and pick up skills and knowledge from seasoned welding experts.

Gaining qualifications – The next step is gaining professional certifications from bodies such as The Welding Institute. These qualifications are respected across the industry and can help you progress into more senior roles.

Further learning – Just as we see in other industries, welding technology is constantly evolving. Therefore, staying up-to-date with new techniques and equipment is important, to keep progressing in your welding career.

How much can a welder earn?

In the UK, welders could earn an average annual salary of around £30,000. Welders with many years of experience can earn significantly more than this. This is especially true of those with a wealth of knowledge in a specialist sector.

Is welding a good career?

Welding is a great career choice because it will provide you with:

• Job security – Welders are essential to a vast range of projects and will continue to be, as the manufacturing industry grows. According to a Construction Skills Network Report, 36,000 new UK welder jobs are expected to be created in the next three years. That’s in the construction industry alone.

• Satisfaction in your work – Transforming raw materials into awe-inspiring structures is likely to give you a great buzz when your projects are completed. 

• Global opportunities – Your skills will be in demand around the globe and your skills transferable to a wide range of projects. Throughout a welding career you could choose to specialise in a particular industry or turn your hand to other types of construction.

If you want to learn more about becoming a welder click on the links below

Boosting your CV

So what is a CV?  CV is short for Curriculum Vitae and is a short document which summarises your unique skills, character, experience and achievements.  

In this section we have looked at how boost your CV.  A good CV will get you noticed and invited for an interview, but no further.  The key to a successful interview lies in soft skills.

Communication

Communication, while complex, is a vital part of succeeding in just about every avenue of life. It’s one thing to know what’s right or know what to do, but it’s another thing entirely to be able to clearly communicate that to the right people at the right time. Developing strong communication skills, both verbally and in writing, is an essential soft skill for the modern workplace.

Interpersonal Skills

Closely related to communication, interpersonal skills are all those intangibles you need to relate well to others, build relationships, and generate the necessary rapport to make inroads and win discussions.

If you’ve ever been in a discussion and emerged from it unsure how the other person convinced you to agree, you were dealing with someone with exceptional interpersonal skills. While some people are born with naturally strong interpersonal skills, everyone can learn strategies to improve in this area.

Unifrog

In keeping with our commitment to provide students with outstanding careers education information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) and tailored support when choosing their next step after school. We have invested in an online application called Unifrog; an award-winning, online careers platform. All students in Years 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 now have access to this excellent website.

The Unifrog platform is designed to support learners in making the most informed decisions about their futures and has a range of tools that are suitable for all year groups. Each student has their own personal account that provides a wide range of information related to their interests and aspirations.  Key features of the platform include:

Exploring Pathways – personality quizzes, career and subject profiles, MOOCs and webinars

Recording – self-reflection about extracurricular activities and key employability skills

Opportunities – search tools showing live vacancies/courses/placements for apprenticeships, universities (in the UK and abroad), FE, virtual work experience and much more

Applications – tools to help students build applications for a range of pathways (e.g., CVs, Personal Statements, Common App Essays)

All students have access to the platform, which is unique to them. They login to Unifrog using their email address and password and they can do so from any computer, tablet or smartphone. We would encourage all students to use the platform at home too, so parent/carers can support their child through the process of deciding their next step

Help for Parents and Carers

When it comes to education and careers, parents and carers have a large influence on a students choices. As an adult you are expected to have all the answers, but in a constantly evolving world it can be a struggle to keep up with the latest options out there.  In this section we will highlight resources that will help keep you up to date with careers and the choices available to young people.

As it is national apprenticeship week it seemed a good time to ask the question...

What is an apprenticeship?

• An apprenticeship is a paid job where the employee learns and gains valuable experiences.

• Alongside on-the-job training, apprentices spend at least 20% of their working hours completing classroom-based learning with a college, university or training provider which leads to a nationally recognised qualification. 

• An apprenticeship includes: 

  • paid employment with holiday leave 

  • hands-on-experience in a sector/role of interest

  • at least 20% off-the-job training 

  • formal assessment which leads to a nationally recognised qualification

At what age can you start an apprenticeship?

• Apprenticeships are for anyone above the age of 16 who isn't in full-time education. There isn't an age limit but they're normally aimed at 16-24 year olds

Are there different types of apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships are categorised by the level of qualification that you gain on completion.

Level 2 apprenticeships (Intermediate). Level 2 apprenticeships are the first step on the apprenticeship ladder. As a level 2 apprentice, you’ll gain on-the-job experience alongside qualifications equivalent to five GCSEs. You’ll get a full-time wage for the duration of your apprenticeship as well.  Level 2 apprenticeships take around 12 – 18 months to complete.

Level 3 apprenticeships (Advanced).  Similarly to a level 2 apprenticeship, level 3 apprentices combine work training with academic study. You’ll earn a wage and gain qualifications equivalent to two A-Levels.  Level 3 apprenticeships take up to 2 years to complete. However, the length of your programme will depend on your employer and capabilities.

Level 4/5 apprenticeships (Higher). Higher apprenticeships, also referred to as level 4 or level 5 apprenticeships, are designed for school leavers aged 18+.  They’ll give you work experience, qualifications equivalent to a foundation degree, Higher National Diploma (HND), or Higher National Certificate (HNC). These apprenticeships can last anywhere between 3-4 years. The academic modules are usually spent in a further or higher education institution. The rest of a higher apprentice’s time is spent working for a company.

Degree apprenticeships.  Degree apprenticeships are the pinnacle of apprenticeships and offer the opportunity to earn a degree.  Degree apprenticeships take between 3 and 6 years to complete.

Where can I find more information about apprenticeships?

There are lots of great websites to help you learn about apprenticeships.  We particularly like

Careers in Hertfordshire: Engineering & Manufacturing

Looking to work in engineering or manufacturing? This sector is constantly innovating and improving so if you are looking for a fast-paced career which has a crucial role in shaping our future then this could be the career pathway for you.

The majority of products and services are brought to life through engineering and manufacturing. You could be a Mechanical Engineer or work in Aerospace,  you could be creating new buildings in your local community as a building services, civil and structural or electrical engineer, you might focus on new product development or even work in entertainment engineering working behind the scenes to design, create and install systems for the film & tv sector.

Engineering and Manufacturing in Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire’s world-class engineering and manufacturing companies specialise in aerospace, space and satellite engineering, communication technologies, electronics, defence and security-related equipment and logistics.

Hertfordshire continues to build on its pioneering industrial heritage. The first production commercial jetliner, the de Havilland Comet, was developed and manufactured in Hatfield in 1947 and Hertfordshire was home to the first digital radio manufacturer in the UK.

Stevenage is the leading location for the UK space industry and home to the 2018 ExoMars Rover and the 2017 Solar Orbiter Satellite research and development programmes

The advanced engineering sector includes top global companies such as Airbus, MBDA, Johnson Matthey, and Smiths Detection, as well as a multitude of niche engineering companies involved in everything from components to consumables.

Across the UK, more than 90,000 companies are involved in advanced manufacturing and engineering, employing 2.7 million people.

Sector Growth stat

In 2022, the engineering and manufacturing industry employed around 48,500 people in Hertfordshire, and there are nearly 2,500 firms in the sector. Since 2010 the number of businesses has risen by 3.8% a year.

For more information please go to www.hopinto.co.uk/ 

Current Opportunities

This month we have opportunities for virtual experience in the NHS as well as details of how to become a local champion with Clarion.  It is National Apprenticeship Week.  There are a number of links to apprenticeship oppurtunities at the end of this section

NHS Virtual Work Experience

The Medical and Dental Schools Council acknowledges virtual work experience as an equal alternative to in-person shadowing based on a discovery report conducted by Health Education England. I encourage students aged 14 and over, interested in becoming doctors or dentists to participate in our FREE National NHS Virtual Work Experience programme. We are pleased to offer a variety of medical and dental specialties, with a focus this month on Palliative Care and Public Health & Oral Pathology. This enables your students to gain a well-rounded perspective of working within the NHS.

If you feel there are any students in Years 10/S3/NI11 - 13/S6/NI14 missing out on this opportunity, please forward this information to them:

Medicine: https://medicmentor.org/university-hospitals-birmingham-trust-virtual-work-experience/

Dentistry: https://dental-mentor.org/university-hospitals-birmingham-trust-virtual-work-experience/

Developed in collaboration with Birmingham Universities Hospitals Trust, this Virtual Work Experience has proven to be transformative for thousands of secondary school students over the past year. It also provides a strong foundation of knowledge for students who are preparing to undertake future in-person placements.

This 6-month medical and 4 months dental e-learning work experience programme allows students to set their own pace of learning. Covering everything from confidentiality and ethics workshops delivered by the GMC to clinical procedures, our virtual work experience provides a crucial overview to enhance your students’ UCAS applications.

Signing up is easy – students simply need to fill out the free online application form:

Medicine: https://medicmentor.org/university-hospitals-birmingham-trust-virtual-work-experience/

Dentistry: https://dental-mentor.org/university-hospitals-birmingham-trust-virtual-work-experience/

We look forward to interacting with your students and will provide them with certificates upon completion. Thank you for passing on the details.

Warm regards,

Dr (Prof) Dhakshana Sivayoganathan 

Become a Young Community Champion!

I hope you are well.

My name is Tosin Ilemobola, and I work for Clarion Futures in the Jobs Plus team in Borehamwood. Clarion Group is the UK’s largest housing association, and Clarion Futures, its charitable arm, works closely with residents in disadvantaged communities. We support young people in developing skills, accessing opportunities and overcoming barriers through employment support, training, volunteering, and wellbeing initiatives.

We are excited to invite students aged 16–24 to become Young Community Champions, a group helping to shape events, opportunities, and projects for young people in the community.

As a Young Community Champion, students will:

• Plan and run events focused on careers, creativity, health, community, and socialising

• Share their opinions and feedback to influence programmes and opportunities

• Refer residents to our programmes

• Gain real-world experience that enhances their CV

• Connect with local teams, partners, and other young leaders

• Enjoy exclusive perks, including vouchers, free trips, and career coaching

The group will meet once a month to collaborate and create opportunities for young people. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to develop leadership and teamwork skills, make valuable connections, and have their voices heard.

We would be grateful if you could share this opportunity with your students. For more information or any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Many thanks,

Tosin

Tosin Ilemobola – Employment Support Officer

Jobs Plus Pilot Borehamwood

Clarion Futures Jobs & Training 

National Apprenticeship Week

I’m getting in touch to share a fantastic apprenticeship opportunity that may be a great fit for your Year 13 students interested in maths, finance or data.

Kilter Finance is offering a Level 4 Actuarial Technician Apprenticeship based in London, starting on £28,000, with applications closing this Sunday, 15th February.

Kilter is a small but rapidly growing specialist investment firm working with insurance companies globally. With a team of around 10 people, apprentices gain real responsibility, close mentoring, and exposure to senior investment professionals from day one.

About the role
Students will support the investment team by analysing financial data, researching companies and contributing to key investment decisions. It’s a hands‑on introduction to finance with clear progression routes.

What is an actuary?
Actuaries use maths, data and logic to understand risk and help organisations make informed financial decisions. It’s a well‑paid, highly respected profession that suits students who enjoy analytical problem‑solving.

The apprenticeship includes the Level 4 qualification with BPP, with a pathway towards the Level 7 Actuary Apprenticeship in future.

Why this stands out:

• £28k salary + strong benefits

• Remote/flexible working

• Small team with excellent learning opportunities

• High‑growth sector with strong long‑term career potential

Application link & find out more here! 

We'd really appreciate if you could share with your student & parent network. I’m happy to answer any questions or speak with interested students directly.

Best wishes,
Annie

Annie McAnulty

Babcock International

Applications for Babcock’s 2026 Apprenticeship Programmes are open!

Whether you’re a school leaver, seeking a career change or ready to take your skills to the next level, Babcock apprenticeships are engineered with your future in mind. Spanning engineering, science, business and project management, each programme is designed to help you develop in-demand skills, gain industry-recognised qualifications and receive the support you need to thrive – during your apprenticeship and beyond.

This is your opportunity to gain a recognised qualification whilst getting paid and contributing to some of the UK’s most critical projects. From design through to decommissioning, your work as an apprentice will see you support products and services that are essential to national security and public infrastructure. 

 Your future. Engineered with purpose. 

Apply Now!

Interested in finding out more about Babcock? Join our National Apprenticeship Week webinar to hear from some of our current apprentices. Click here to sign up. 

Airbus 

New Panels Level 2 Apprenticeship at Airbus in Stevenage

In 2026, Airbus will have vacancies for L2 Engineer Operator apprenticeship in Stevenage, to manufacture these panels.

Panels Manufacturing Technician L2 Apprenticeship - Manufacture the panels from which spacecraft are bui

There are no prior qualifications required (by Airbus or the college).

For both Apprenticeships, Airbus want candidates who are ready to work within a team, show passion for practical

skills, drive and potential, always on time, well-presented and committed to their learning and development.

Through late 2025 and early 2026 Airbus will work with a cohort of students through a “Future Booster” programme, where the students be supported and given guaranteed interview spaces.

Click on this link to find out more

British Army Apprenticeships

The Army takes part in and hosts a huge variety of events throughout the year. This is a chance to talk to serving soldiers who will be able to answer your questions about Army life. Whether it's face-to-face or online, check out our events today and join us to find out more.

Click on the image belwo to find out more