Questions from and for welding and fabrication apprentices.
What ticket or qualification do I actually need to become a qualified welder or fabricator?
Your main qualification is the Certificate III in Engineering (Fabrication Trade), which you complete through your apprenticeship while you work and study at TAFE. On top of that trade cert, a lot of jobs also want you welder qualified to a standard like AS/NZS 1554, which means passing a coded weld test on the process and position the job needs. Get the Cert III done first, then chase the coded tickets your workplace or the project asks for.
Answered by a qualified tradieQualified welding and fabrication
Is welding fume actually dangerous, and how seriously should I take the extraction gear?
Take it very seriously. Welding fume is classified as carcinogenic (it can cause lung cancer), and the national workplace exposure standard for welding fume was cut to 1 mg/m3 over an 8 hour average, which is a big drop from the old limit. Use the on-torch or overhead extraction, wear the right respiratory protection, and never just weld into your own face because someone told you it toughens you up.
Answered by a qualified tradieQualified welding and fabrication
What am I actually going to be doing all day as a first year, because it feels like I'm mostly just grinding and cleaning up?
That is normal and everyone starts there. First year is a lot of grinding, deburring, tacking up, dressing welds, sweeping and keeping the bay tidy, because that is how you learn to read a job and prep steel properly. Do it well and without whinging, and the good welds and the more skilled work come your way faster.
Answered by a qualified tradieQualified welding and fabrication
How much should I expect to get paid as an apprentice, and how do I check it's right?
Apprentice pay is set by your award and it steps up as you move through the stages of your apprenticeship, and your age can matter too. Rather than trust a mate's guess, put your award, year or stage and hours into the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool to get the correct figure. If the number on your payslip does not match, that is worth a quiet chat with your employer or Fair Work.
Answered by a qualified tradieQualified welding and fabrication
What tools and gear do I need to buy myself in the first year?
Start with your safety gear: a decent auto-darkening helmet, good welding gloves, safety glasses, ear plugs, and flame resistant clothing and leathers. Then build up the basics like a chipping hammer, wire brush, welding pliers, a tape, a square, soapstone or markers, and a set of hand tools, adding gear as you go rather than blowing your first pay on everything at once. Ask your leading hand what your shop expects you to own, since the employer usually supplies the big plant and consumables.
Answered by a qualified tradieQualified welding and fabrication
