- Environment Primarily outdoor work
- Education High school diploma
Career profile
Welders helpers are labourers who assist skilled welders by performing labour-intensive duties such as supplying or holding materials or tools, cleaning work areas and equipment. Often, but not always, welders helpers are apprentice welders working towards completing their apprenticeship program.
Safety is a significant part of the job as working around or with heat and open flames can present hazards.
Oil and gas services, Oil sands, Pipelines
In this occupation, activities may include:
- Assisting workers in welding, brazing and thermal and arc cutting activities.
- Moving and gathering work pieces (pipe materials), setting up pipe, and helping fir spools.
- Interpreting blueprints or drawings.
- Lifting or moving heavy materials such as pieces of pipe, equipment or sheet metal.
Education
- High school
- Often Welders Helpers are enrolled in an apprenticeship program
Certifications
- Standard and emergency first aid
- Construction Safety Training System (CSTS)
- Pipeline Construction Safety Training (PCST)
- H2S Alive
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
- Fall protection
- Confined space entry
Licensing
- Welders helpers are often within a three- to five-year apprenticeship program, working towards completing this program which is required to become a certified tradesperson.
Additional Requirements
- Must pass a pre-employment Drug & Alcohol test
- Class 5 driver’s license with clean drivers abstract
- Some experience as a general construction labourer may be required for construction trade helpers.
- Some pipeline welders helpers may require one season of experience in oil and gas pipeline construction.
- Travel likely required
- Primarily outdoor work
- Physical work
- Safety-sensitive environment
- Work away from home/in camps
- Works Safely
- Interpreting Documents/Plans
- Mechanical Operation
- Equipment Selection
- Installation
- Making or Manufacturing
- Attention to Detail
