Welder
Join metal components using manual and automated welding processes across construction, mining and manufacturing.
Salary
Cited figures only: median full-time weekly earnings for the ANZSCO unit group Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers (3223) from Your Career (Jobs and Skills Australia), and where available the QILT graduate starting salary for the matching study area.
| Figure | AUD | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median full-time weekly earnings | $1755 | Your Career (2026-09-23) |
Jobs, demand and who does this work
Figures for the ANZSCO occupation Welder (First Class) (322313), the closest official match for welder, from Your Career (Jobs and Skills Australia data, sourced 2026-09-23).
- People employed
- 19,900
- Future demand
- Stable
- Work full-time
- 87%
- Average full-time hours
- 44 a week
- Women
- 1%
- Median age
- 42
Where the jobs are (share of workers)
| NSW | 24.3% |
| VIC | 30.4% |
| QLD | 16.9% |
| WA | 16.5% |
| SA | 7.5% |
| TAS | 3.2% |
| ACT | 0.5% |
| NT | 0.7% |
Highest qualification held by workers
| Postgraduate qualification | 0.6% |
| Bachelor degree | 2.8% |
| Diploma or advanced diploma | 4.4% |
| Certificate I-IV | 51.9% |
| Year 12 | 13.2% |
| Below Year 12 | 21.6% |
What a welder actually does
Welders join metal across construction, mining, manufacturing, defence and shipbuilding. The day usually starts in a workshop or on site at 7am with a job sheet, drawings and welding procedure specifications. A typical workshop welder works through a sequence of parts, fitting them to a tack, then completing the weld run, then visually inspecting and passing for non-destructive testing. Pipe welders work to higher precision on petroleum, water and high-pressure systems. Pressure welders need additional sign-off under AS/NZS 3992. Many welders pick up specific tickets like 6G or 3G that lock in particular employers. Shutdown work in mining and energy attracts higher rates and longer rosters. Hours run 38 to 50 per week in normal shop work, climbing to 60 plus on shutdown campaigns.
Typical tasks
- Interpret welding procedure specifications.
- Perform MIG, TIG and stick welds to AS/NZS 1554.
- Inspect welds visually and report defects.
Skills you'll use
- MIG, TIG, MMA and flux-cored welding
- Reading welding procedure specifications and weld symbols
- Fitting and tack welding to drawing tolerances
- Visual weld inspection and basic non-destructive testing
- Working safely with hot work permits and confined-space tickets
- Use of grinders, cutting tools and welding positioners
- Applying AS/NZS 1554 series structural welding standards
How to become one
- 1Finish Year 10 or 12. A pre-apprenticeship Certificate II in Engineering Pathways is helpful if you have not yet found a host
- 2Secure a host employer in a fabrication shop, mining contractor or shipyard and sign an apprenticeship agreement
- 3Complete a 4-year Certificate III in Engineering - Fabrication Trade (MEM31925) at TAFE alongside paid on-job training
- 4Build a portfolio of weld tickets covering processes and positions your employer needs (3G, 4G, 6G, MMA structural, MIG sub-arc)
- 5For mining and resources work add the standard tickets: White Card, working at heights, confined space, hot work and any site-specific inductions
- 6Optional next steps include AS/NZS 2980 hand welder qualification testing, NDT certification, Welding Supervisor qualifications, or moving toward Welding Inspector with the Welding Technology Institute of Australia
Where you can work
- Steel fabrication shops
- Mining and resources shutdown contractors
- Shipbuilding and naval construction yards
- Pipeline construction crews
- Defence prime suppliers
- Aerospace and rail rolling stock makers
- Pressure vessel and tank manufacturers
Career progression
Typical stages and roles. Years of experience are a rough guide; pay at each stage depends on the employer, award or agreement.
- Apprentice0-4 yearsTypical roles: First-year apprentice, Fourth-year apprentice
- Qualified welder4-8 yearsTypical roles: Workshop welder, Site welder, Pressure welder
- Senior or shutdown specialist8-15 yearsTypical roles: Leading hand welder, Shutdown welder, Welding supervisor
- Supervisor or inspector12+ yearsTypical roles: Welding inspector, Workshop manager, Welding consultant
Is this for you?
You might love this if
- You enjoy hands-on work and can hold steady for long welds
- You have good colour vision and steady hands
- You like building a reputation for clean, repeatable work
- You can handle hot, noisy environments with full PPE
- You want flexibility between workshop, site and shutdown work
This might not suit you if
- You dislike sustained, focused fine-motor work
- You have lung or skin sensitivities triggered by welding fumes
- You want a trade with no compliance and sign-off overhead
Three ways in
Uni, TAFE and trade routes for welder. Not every career has all three; we only list pathways that actually lead to this occupation.
University
Bachelor degrees that lead to this career.
No direct undergraduate pathway. Consider postgraduate study after a related bachelor degree.
TAFE / VET
Nationally accredited Certificate and Diploma qualifications.
Apprenticeship trade
Earn while you learn through an Australian Apprenticeship.
Sources
ExamExplained does not publish predictive salary figures. For current Australian earnings data check Your Career (yourcareer.gov.au) directly. Career classifications follow the ABS ANZSCO 2022 release.