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 and provide qualifications recognised in the welding industry.
The first two courses, out of the four we will be running, will follow the below schedules:
- x9 consecutive Thursdays – 11:30-18:00 – Commencing on 26/03/2026
- x9 consecutive Fridays – 09:00-16:00 – Commencing on 27/03/2026
*Learners must meet one of the following criteria: Earning less than £25,750 annually; In receipt of Universal Credit; Adults without a full Level 2 qualification; Families with school age children in receipt of free school meals; Those with a learning difficulty and/or disability; Those who are at risk of/have mental health needs; Care Leavers; Refugees; Military Veterans; Over 50s looking to return to employment.
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.