Welder
An 8-step path to becoming a welder: arc, fume and fire safety, reading drawings and weld symbols, cutting and bevelling, stick welding, MIG/MAG, TIG on stainless and aluminium, out-of-position welding and weld inspection. You can then work in steel fabrication, shipbuilding or engineering shops, or take gate and frame jobs. Suits fit, patient people with steady hands.
Start here
Step 1: Arc, fume & fire safety
One short lesson per step, 10–15 minutes on a phone. No sign-up needed.
Hands-on roadmap
Roadmap
- Step 1Lesson
Arc, fume & fire safety
Auto-darkening helmet, leather gloves, flame-resistant jacket and safety boots; fume extraction especially for stainless and galvanised steel; clear combustibles, hot work permits, welder electrical safety.
No English content for this step yet.
- Step 2Lesson
Materials, drawings & weld symbols
Carbon steel, stainless and aluminium weldability; read drawings and fillet and butt weld symbols, leg sizes; choose rods, wire and shielding gas for each material.
Requires: Arc, fume & fire safety
No English content for this step yet.
- Step 3Skill
Cutting, bevelling & tack-up
Cut with abrasive saws, plasma and oxy-fuel; grind bevels and set root gaps; tack to control distortion and check squareness with squares and tapes.
Requires: Materials, drawings & weld symbols
No English content for this step yet.
- Step 4Skill
Stick welding (SMAW) flat & vertical
Set amperage by rod size, dry electrodes, control angle and travel speed; weld 1F, 2F and 3F; common defects: porosity, slag inclusion, undercut and how to grind and repair.
Requires: Cutting, bevelling & tack-up
- Step 5Skill
MIG/MAG welding for steel structures
Set voltage, wire speed and CO2 or argon-CO2 flow; weld factory frames and steel gates; control spatter and thin-sheet distortion.
Requires: Stick welding (SMAW) flat & vertical
No English content for this step yet.
- Step 6Skill
TIG on stainless & aluminium, pipe positions
Grind tungsten, set AC or DC, purge the back of stainless; weld pipe in 5G and 6G with root and cap passes; clean welds for food-grade tanks and railings.
Requires: MIG/MAG welding for steel structures
No English content for this step yet.
- Step 7Project
Fabricate a complete gate or roof truss
Read drawings, list materials, cut, fit and weld a steel gate or small truss; dress welds and apply anti-rust paint; check dimensions and squareness and log labour hours.
Requires: TIG on stainless & aluminium, pipe positions
No English content for this step yet.
- Step 8Certificate
Position welding certification & jobs
Prepare and test for 3G, 4G or 6G welder certification at an assessment centre with bend or radiographic testing; apply to fabrication shops, factories or overseas work programmes.
Requires: Fabricate a complete gate or roof truss
No English content for this step yet.
