About Boilermaker/Welder

Boilermaker/welders produce metal (ferrous and non-ferrous) fabricated products such as structures, frames, plate assemblies, pipework and vessels using tools, welding and thermal cutting equipment and fabrication techniques. 

Welds are undertaken to pre-determined standards and may be tested for compliance to required standards.

Fabricators/Boilermakers use a wide range of hand tools and hand-held power tools and workshop machines such as drills, grinders, clamps, benders and lifting equipment.

Metal, Engineering and Associated Industries Award classification on completion: C10.

The training

To become a trade certified Boilermaker/Welder, you need to successfully complete an apprenticeship which results in a Certificate III in Engineering – Fabrication Trade. The apprenticeship usually takes 48 months to complete. 

The apprenticeship program features on the job training under the supervision of a qualified Boilermaker/Welder and off the job training at a registered training provider such as a WA TAFE college.

Skills you will learn

During the training program to become a Boilermaker/Welder, you will learn practical skills and underpinning knowledge. A training program will be created for you that will include such competencies as how to:

• Perform engineering measurements

• Perform computations

• Apply principles of OHS in the work environment

• Plan to undertake a routine task

• Plan a complete activity

• Apply quality systems and procedures

• Organise and communicate information

• Work with others in a manufacturing, engineering or related environment

• Interact with computing technology

• Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices

• Perform routine oxy acetylene welding

• Carry out mechanical cutting

• Perform manual heating and thermal cutting

• Apply fabrication, forming and shaping techniques

• Assemble fabricated components

• Perform routine manual metal arc welding

• Weld using manual metal arc welding process

• Perform advanced welding using manual metal arc welding process

• Weld using gas metal arc welding process

• Weld using gas tungsten arc welding process

• Repair/replace/modify fabrications

• Perform geometric development

• Perform routine gas tungsten arc welding

• Perform routine gas metal arc welding

• Select welding processes

• Apply safe welding practices

• Interpret technical drawing

• Mark off/out structural fabrications and shapes

• Use hand tools

• Use power tools/hand held operations

• Use workshop machines for basic operations

• Undertake manual handling

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Career Pathway Examples for Boilermaker/Welder