jobfacts

Welding trades

SOC 2020 5213

Welding trades workers join metal parts by welding, brazing and soldering, and cut and remove defects from metal using a variety of equipment and techniques.

Also calledWelderPipe welderMIG welderTIG welderArc welderBoilermakerand 52 more titles
Typical full-time pay£35,3002025 Provisional
People in the job50,000across the UK
Demand for workersNot high
New adverts a month1,500↑ 2.3%on last year · 127th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025

Half of full-time welding trades earn between £29,800 and £44,200 a year.

What full-time welding trades earn, 2025
£35,300 typical£25,000lowest 10%£29,80025%£47,100top 20%n/ptop 10%
Middle half (£29,800–£44,200)n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less than£25,000
Lowest 20% earn less than£28,500
25%£29,800
Median£35,300
75%£44,200
Top 20% earn more than£47,100
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £35,300
Scotland!£43,100
South East!£41,100
North West!£39,800
East of England!£38,800
Wales!£36,700
East Midlands!£34,800
West Midlands!£34,700
North EastNot published by ONS–
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS–
LondonNot published by ONS–
South WestNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £35,300
Scotland£43,100 (small sample)
South East£41,100 (small sample)
North West£39,800 (small sample)
East of England£38,800 (small sample)
Wales£36,700 (small sample)
East Midlands£34,800 (small sample)
West Midlands£34,700 (small sample)
North EastNot published by ONS
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS
LondonNot published by ONS
South WestNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £32,100
  • 2024 £35,100
  • 2025 Provisional£35,300
↑ 10% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 1,500 jobs for welding trades are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as not high.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (3 in all)
Show as table
Aug 20261,637
Jul 20261,680
Jun 20261,585
May 20261,514
Apr 20261,410
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 20261,433
Jan 20261,703
Dec 2025729
Nov 20251,538
Oct 20251,656
Sept 20251,809
Aug 20251,755
Jul 2025Not published
Jun 2025Not published
May 20251,976
Apr 20251,406
Mar 20251,568
Feb 20251,639
Jan 20251,431
Dec 2024657
Nov 20241,184
Oct 20241,431
Sept 20241,647
Aug 20241,714
Jul 20241,958
Jun 20241,812
May 20241,887
Apr 20242,053
Mar 20241,461
Feb 20241,594
Jan 20241,947
Dec 20231,144
Nov 20231,237
Oct 20231,200
Sept 20231,358
Aug 20231,578
Jul 20231,660
Jun 20232,571
May 20232,013
Apr 20231,932
Mar 20232,113
Feb 20232,173
Jan 20232,432
Dec 20221,726
Nov 20222,143
Oct 20222,448
Sept 20222,432
Aug 20222,586
Jul 20222,537
Jun 20222,389
May 20222,331
Apr 20221,821
Mar 20222,364
Feb 20221,809
Jan 20222,093
Dec 20211,685
Nov 20211,653
Oct 20211,955
Sept 20211,936
Aug 20211,863
Jul 20212,584
Jun 20212,507
May 20212,302
Apr 20212,042
Mar 20212,610
Feb 20211,672
Jan 20211,709
Dec 20201,068
Nov 20201,422
Oct 20201,634
Sept 20201,406
Aug 20201,184
Jul 2020890
Jun 2020808
May 2020548
Apr 2020769
Mar 20201,239
Feb 20201,763
Jan 20201,736
Dec 2019997
Nov 20191,538
Oct 20191,796
Sept 20191,878
Aug 20192,048
Jul 20192,799
Jun 20192,458
May 20191,957
Apr 20191,456
Mar 20191,779
Feb 20191,625
Jan 20192,129
Dec 20181,080
Nov 20181,481
Oct 20181,816
Sept 20181,811
Aug 20181,876
Jul 20181,860
Jun 20182,008
May 20181,818
Apr 20181,646
Mar 20181,635
Feb 20181,642
Jan 20181,903
Dec 2017969
Nov 20171,494
Oct 20171,686
Sept 20171,821
Aug 20172,014
Jul 20172,097
Jun 20172,626
May 20172,372
Apr 20172,130
Mar 20172,311
Feb 20171,750
Jan 20171,676
Is there a shortage of welding trades?
Not high

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment.

  • Visas grantedAbove usual
  • Online job advertsAbove usual
  • Wage growthAbove usual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedUsual
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
43%against 27% for all jobs
DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London107
West Northamptonshire81
Dudley74
Wakefield63
Sandwell60
Bradford59
Sheffield57
Leicester56
East Riding of Yorkshire49
Kirklees49
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where welding trades are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. 332 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, ranking it 49th of 313. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
WomenToo few in the survey to give a reliable figure
Age of welding trades
17%!
25%!
11%!
20%!
21%!
6%!
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
16–2417% (small sample)
25–3425% (small sample)
35–4411% (small sample)
45–5420% (small sample)
55–6421% (small sample)
65+6% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent–
Not published
Higher education below degree!7.7%
A levels or equivalent56%
GCSEs or equivalent19%
Other qualifications!7.7%
No qualifications!5.6%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalentNot published
Higher education below degree7.7% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent56%
GCSEs or equivalent19%
Other qualifications7.7% (small sample)
No qualifications5.6% (small sample)

Main employers: construction of other civil engineering projects nec (7.8%), manufacture of metal structures and parts of structures (7.5%), construction of residential and non-residential buildings (6.6%), other specialised construction activities nec (5.1%).

How to get in

Most common qualification
A levels or equivalent
held by 56%
Apprenticeships
3
from level 2
Apprenticeships take
18 months to 4 years
typically
T Levels
1
college courses for 16 to 19 year olds

Routes in

You can get into this job through:

College

You could do a welding qualification at college before applying for a job as a trainee welder. Courses include:

  • welding skills
  • welding techniques and skills
  • fabrication and welding engineering
  • T Level in Engineering, Manufacturing, Processing and Control
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a welding apprenticeship, such as:

  • General Welder Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • Pipe Welder Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Plate Welder Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship

These take between 2 and 4 years to complete.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Other ways in

Apply directly

You can apply directly for welding jobs.

You'll need welding experience and certifications, for example from working in:

  • pipe fitting
  • engineering construction
  • marine engineering
  • steel fabrication
Other routes

You could take a course in welding or inspection through The Welding Institute (TWI). You usually need to be working in engineering to do this.

Registration and professional bodies

Registration
  • you'll need an industry safety certificate like the Client Contractor National Safety Group (CCNSG) Safety Passport Scheme for many jobs
Professional and industry bodies

You could join The Welding Institute (TWI) for professional development and training opportunities.

Further information

You can find out more about welding careers from The Welding Institute (TWI).

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for welder. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Apprenticeships

3 for this job
Level 2About 18 months

Welder

You gain
AWS D1.1 Structural Welding - Steel: Certification: American Welding Society, OR; AWS D1.2 Structural Welding Code - Aluminium: Certification: American Welding Society, OR
Details on Skills England

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Other qualifications

QualificationTypeLevel
Engineering, manufacturing, processing and control​T Level3

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • selects appropriate welding equipment such as electric arc, gas torch, etc.
  • connects wires to power supply, or hoses to oxygen, acetylene, argon, carbon dioxide, electric arc, or other source and adjusts controls to regulate gas pressure and rate of flow
  • cuts metal pieces using gas torch or electric arc
  • guides electrode or torch along line of weld, burns away damaged areas, and melts brazing alloy or solder into joints
  • cleans and smooths weld
  • checks finished workpiece for defects and conformity with specification

Skills

  • apply brazing techniques
  • ensure equipment availability
  • operate brazing equipment
  • operate soldering equipment
  • perform test run
  • select filler metal
  • spot metal imperfections
  • consult technical resources
  • ensure correct gas pressure
  • keep records of work progress
  • apply arc welding techniques
  • apply flux
  • apply precision metalworking techniques
  • apply soldering techniques

Knowledge

  • flammable fluids
  • types of metal
  • welding techniques
  • ferrous metal processing
  • types of metal manufacturing processes
  • fuel gas
  • quality standards
  • torch temperature for metal processes

Suits people who like

  • Practical, hands-on work
  • Organising and following procedures

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades, a group of 23 jobs that includes welding trades.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↓ 6.5%about 72,000 fewer jobs
Workers needed by 2035338,000including people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.