Welder

Welder Apprenticeship and Certification Act
Unrestricted Trade
Designated Red Seal Trade Trade Code 456A
NOC 7265

Description

  • Read and interpret blueprints or welding process specifications
  • Lay out, cut and form metal to specification
  • Repair worn parts of metal products by welding on extra layers
  • Fit sub-assemblies and assemblies together and prepare assemblies for welding
  • Operate manual or semi-automatic welding equipment to fuse metal segments using processes such as gas tungsten arc (GTAW), gas metal arc (GMAW), flux-cored arc (FCAW), plasma arc (PAW), shielded metal arc (SMAW), oxy-acetylene (OAW), resistance welding and submerged arc welding (SAW)
  • Operate manual or semi-automatic flame cutting equipment
  • Operate brazing and soldering equipment
  • Operate metal shaping machines such as brakes, shears and other metal straightening and bending machines

Personal Qualities

  • You enjoy working with your hands
  • You work indoors with noise, vibrations and other hazards that are common to the job
  • You enjoy working to close and exacting tolerances
  • You are able to work in uncomfortable or unusual positions at times
  • You have the stamina to be on your feet for long periods of time
  • You have excellent hand/eye coordination and good eyesight
  • You like to learn new things on a consistent basis
  • Review the Essential Skills profile for additional qualities required srv108.services.gc.ca/english/profiles/218.shtml

Career Opportunities

  • Welders work in the non-electrical, machinery, construction and metal-fabricating industries which include fabricating shops, manufacturers of structural steel and plate work, construction companies, boiler makers, heavy machinery contractors, aircraft contractors, ship building and other transportation contractors as well as specialized welding shops
  • Some welders work on a project basis for contractors through a union

Educational/Training Requirements

  • The minimum entry for apprenticeship is Grade 12
  • Completion of a 5,280 hour apprenticeship program is required
  • If you have completed 6,000 hours of on the job experience/training but have not completed the Apprenticeship Program you may be eligible to challenge the Certificate of Qualification

Training Availability

Regional OYAP Training

Durham College – Whitby Campus Trade Related Programs
Welding Techniques
Durham College – Whitby Campus
905-721-3000 www.start.durhamcollege.ca

Canadian Welding Skills
1010 Ward Street
Bridgenorth ON KOL 1HO
705-745-6226

Northern Ontario Welding School Inc.
122 Saunders Road, Unit 10
Barrie, ON L4N 9A8
1-800-858-4566 www.weldingcollege.ca

The Institute of Technical Trades
749 Warden Avenue
Scarborough ON M1L 4A8
1-800-461-4981 www.instituteoftechnicaltrades.com

Apprenticeship Training

Durham College – Whitby Campus
1610 Champlain Avenue
Whitby ON L1N 6A7
905-721-3344 www.durhamcollege.ca

Potential Earnings

  • Apprentices start according to individual company rates and progress according to the company’s wage scales over time or as per a collective agreement
  • Wages 1 range from $13.00 to $24.50 an hour, excluding overtime, with journeypersons usually earning the higher end of the pay scale

Prospects For Employment

  • Employment is expected to grow as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2009 2
  • Most tradespersons work full time for a single employer

Financial Incentives

  • Employers who employ first, second and third year apprentices can apply for the Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit
  • Employers who employ first and second year apprentices can apply for the Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit
  • Apprentices in this trade are able to apply for the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant
  • Apprentices may also be able to apply for the Tradesperson’s Tools Tax Deduction