We’re pleased to be offering a FREE* Introduction to Welding course, funded by Hampshire Country Council which is designed to help you gain skills relevant to the welding industry.
Ready to book? Click here to complete the expression of interest form.
Upcoming courses:
Cohort A:
- Wednesdays, 09:00–16:00
- 8 sessions
- 21 October – 16 December 2026
Cohort B:
- Thursdays, 12:30–18:00
- 10 sessions
- 22 October 2026 – 14 January 2027
*Learners must meet at least one of the following criteria: Earn less than £26,800 annually; In receipt of Universal Credit; Adults without a full Level 2 qualification; Families with school-age children receiving free school meals; People with a learning difficulty and/or disability; People at risk of, or experiencing, mental health needs; Care leavers; Refugees; Military veterans; Over-50s looking to return to employment; People living in Hampshire within the HCC-funded area, excluding Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.
What will the course involve?
Your training will cover a diverse selection of topics tailored to support your skill development in welding.
- Health & safety assessments and safe workshop practices.
- Safe operation and workshop behaviour, including PPE and equipment handling.
- Introduction to welding equipment and tools, including basic MIG and TIG awareness.
- Understanding the purpose of MIG and TIG welding.
- Basic MIG welder setup and shutdown procedures.
- Introduction to MIG welding techniques, holding the torch, basic angles, and steady travel speed.
- Practising simple straight weld beads on plate.
- Introduction to basic welding joints (e.g. butt and fillet) through demonstration and guided practice.
- Awareness of TIG welding equipment and basic operation (no advanced TIG joint work required).
- Introduction to welding process principles in simple, accessible terms.
- Understanding basic machine controls (voltage, wire feed, etc.) at an introductory level.
- Awareness of different filler materials and electrodes (no in‑depth selection criteria).
- Simple practical tasks to build confidence (e.g. bead runs, basic joint tacking).
- Developing hand–eye coordination and basic welding posture.
- Introduction to consistent weld pad practice (straight lines only).
- Overview of career pathways and progression routes, including readiness for Level 2 Welding.