Welding

Welding is about fusing metal together so the joint holds as well as the material around it. In a vocational training course in welding you learn the most common methods and can take a certified welding test so you officially may weld on tasks where it must be documented. You go from being able to "lay a seam" to being a skilled tradesperson who can stand behind their work with papers to prove it.

A welder assembles steel, stainless steel and aluminum for everything from steel structures and machine parts to pipe installations and tanks. You prepare the workpieces, choose the right method and setting, weld the joint and check afterwards that it is tight and error-free. Much of the work requires patience, a steady hand and understanding of how heat affects metal.

• 01You learn several welding methods: gas welding, arc (stick), TIG, MIG, and MAG.
• 02You can take a certified welding test according to DS/EN-ISO 9606, so your work can be used where it needs to be documented
• 03You understand how to avoid faults such as pores, slag inclusions, and poor penetration
• 04You can supplement with §17 course (gas cylinders and pressure equipment) and hot work course
• 05You can learn welding for district heating, where the requirements for tightness and strength are high
• 06You become attractive in the workplace because certified welders are in demand

AMU courses in welding are short, practical programs that are open to both unskilled and skilled workers – you don't need a full vocational education to get started. Many take the courses to get a certificate for a specific job, while others use them as a starting point before applying as a metal fabricator or industrial technician apprentice. Talk to an AMU center or a vocational school about which courses suit what you want to be able to do.

Welding can be a standalone trade but is also a strong specialization on top of training as a metal fabricator, industrial technician or plumber. With experience and multiple certificates you can work on demanding tasks within offshore, district heating, pressure vessels and large steel structures — areas where skilled welders are always in demand.

“A good weld bead you do not see — it just holds year after year.”