Welder
On this page
- What's it like to be a Welder?
- How to become a Welder
- Top skills and experience for Welders
- Welder role reviews
What's it like to be a Welder?
A Welder (Kaihonohono Maitai) is a skilled tradesperson who works in workshops, factories, buildings sites and other industrial settings to make, join and repair metal parts. Those parts might be for machinery or goods. Welders use special equipment including grinders, clamps, hammers, pliers and more. They need to be properly trained to use their equipment safely. Welders typically work normal business hours but overtime work may be required in some settings, to meet production or maintenance deadlines.
Tasks and duties
- Studying drawings and specifications.
- Welding pieces of metal together using special equipment.
- Fitting fabricated metal parts into products and assembling metal to produce machines and equipment.
- Diagnosing faults and performing operational maintenance on machines.
How to become a Welder
It’s common for Welders to begin their career with an apprenticeship.
Find an employer who can support you through a Welding apprenticeship. Apprenticeships allow you to earn a wage while getting on-the-job training and a qualification. Welding apprenticeships typically take between one and three years to complete.
Complete the necessary units to achieve a New Zealand Certificate in Engineering - Fabrication (Level 4) while undertaking your apprenticeship. You can specialise in light fabrication, heavy fabrication or steel construction.
