Summary
Xcel Aerospace are looking to recruit an Apprentice Welder. We employ highly skilled workers who are keen to share their knowledge with eager apprentices to deliver our vision of excellence in everything we do. This is an excellent opportunity to join a professional and traditional Engineering firm whose expertise is in high demand.
Wage
£15,311.40 to £24,761.88, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
Training course
Welder (level 2)
Hours
Monday - Friday, 9 hours per day (TBC) with 30-minute lunch break. Start time may vary.
39 hours a week
Start date
Monday 8 September 2025
Duration
1 year 6 months
Positions available
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you’ll do at work
General purpose:
The Apprentice Sheet Metal Fabricator will spend time within the sheet metal fabrication cell and will learn about fine limit sheet metal processes and procedures. The apprentice will be involved with manufacturing aerospace components made from aluminium, stainless and mild steel.
The apprentice will operate within the mandatory customer and internal specifications and inspect products accordingly. The Apprentice Sheet Metal Fabricator will learn how to effectively and safely use fly presses, brake press, waterjet and welding.
Key deliverables:
* Manufacture aerospace components according to procedures and instructions provided
* Setting and operating machinery used in the manufacture of sheet metal components
* Learning and efficiently operating hand tools, deburring tools, drills, fly presses
* Learning and efficiently operating TIG welders, spot welders
* Learning and efficiently operating waterjet
* Verify the conformity of parts, assemblies and sub-assemblies in line with engineering drawings, the quality management system and any special customer requirements
* Identify and report non-conformance as per the Company procedure
* Ensure compliance with Quality Assurance and Health Safety Environment policies and procedures
Where you’ll work
1 Ashton Road
Romford
Essex
RM3 8UH
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
College or training organisation
NEW CITY COLLEGE
Your training course
Welder (level 2)
Equal to GCSE
Course contents
* Apply health and safety procedures including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
* Collect and use information - text and data. For example, manufacturer's instructions, manuals, job instructions, drawings and quality control documentation.
* Prepare welding materials and work area: sourcing, checking and protecting.
* Prepare welding machines or equipment and safety protection measures, for example, check calibration and maintenance dates, inspection for cable damage.
* Check and use or operate tools and equipment.
* Set, modify and monitor welding controls, for example, current, arc voltage, wire feed speed, gas flow rates, polarity, mechanised tractor units.
* Identify issues and actions required. Escalate issues or concerns.
* Use manual processes and equipment to remove material before and after welding.
* Weld using processes, for example, tungsten inert gas (TIG), plasma arc welding (PAW), manual metal arc (MMA), metal inert or metal active gas (MIG or MAG), flux cored arc welding (FCAW), submerged arc welding (SAW), tractor-mounted metal inert or metal active gas (MIG or MAG), tractor-mounted flux cored arc welding (FCAW), tractor-mounted or orbital tungsten inert gas (TIG), tractor-mounted or orbital plasma arc welding (PAW).
* Adapt welding technique to weld different material groups, for example, carbon steel, low alloy steel (3-7% alloy content), high alloy ferritic or martensitic steel (>7% alloy content), austenitic stainless steel, duplex stainless steels, nickel and nickel alloys, aluminium and aluminium alloys, titanium and titanium alloys, copper and copper alloys.
* Weld materials in different joint configurations, for example, butt, T-butt, fillet, cladding or buttering.
* Adapt welding techniques to weld materials in different positions, for example, down-hand, horizontal-vertical, horizontal, vertical-up, vertical-down, overhead, inclined.
* Identify surface defects.
* Apply visual inspection, dimensional and alignment checks.
* Restore the work area on completion of the welding activity, for example, clean equipment and machinery, tidy the work area, return excess resources and consumables.
* Communicate verbally with others, for example, internal and external customers, colleagues, supervisors and managers.
* Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards and guidance. Segregate resources for re-use, recycling and disposal.
* Follow equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
* Follow work instructions - verbal or written.
* Apply team working principles.
* Apply health and safety procedures including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
* Collect and use information - text and data. For example, manufacturer's instructions, manuals, job instructions, drawings and quality control documentation.
* Prepare welding materials and work area: sourcing, checking and protecting.
* Prepare welding machines or equipment and safety protection measures, for example, check calibration and maintenance dates, inspection for cable damage.
* Check and use or operate tools and equipment.
* Set, modify and monitor welding controls, for example, current, arc voltage, wire feed speed, gas flow rates, polarity, mechanised tractor units.
* Identify issues and actions required. Escalate issues or concerns.
* Use manual processes and equipment to remove material before and after welding.
* Weld using processes, for example, tungsten inert gas (TIG), plasma arc welding (PAW), manual metal arc (MMA), metal inert or metal active gas (MIG or MAG), flux cored arc welding (FCAW), submerged arc welding (SAW), tractor-mounted metal inert or metal active gas (MIG or MAG), tractor-mounted flux cored arc welding (FCAW), tractor-mounted or orbital tungsten inert gas (TIG), tractor-mounted or orbital plasma arc welding (PAW).
* Adapt welding technique to weld different material groups, for example, carbon steel, low alloy steel (3-7% alloy content), high alloy ferritic or martensitic steel (>7% alloy content), austenitic stainless steel, duplex stainless steels, nickel and nickel alloys, aluminium and aluminium alloys, titanium and titanium alloys, copper and copper alloys.
* Weld materials in different joint configurations, for example, butt, T-butt, fillet, cladding or buttering.
* Adapt welding techniques to weld materials in different positions, for example, down-hand, horizontal-vertical, horizontal, vertical-up, vertical-down, overhead, inclined.
* Identify surface defects.
* Apply visual inspection, dimensional and alignment checks.
* Restore the work area on completion of the welding activity, for example, clean equipment and machinery, tidy the work area, return excess resources and consumables.
* Communicate verbally with others, for example, internal and external customers, colleagues, supervisors and managers.
* Follow procedures in line with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards and guidance. Segregate resources for re-use, recycling and disposal.
* Follow equity, diversity and inclusion procedures.
* Follow work instructions - verbal or written.
* Apply team working principles.
Your training plan
* Level 2 Welder Apprenticeship (Standard)
* Skills, Knowledge and Behaviours
* Day release to attend New City College, Rainham campus (RM13 8GP)
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
* English (grade GCSE A* - C (9 - 4))
* Maths (grade GCSE A* - C (9 - 4))
* Science (grade GCSE A* - C (9 - 4))
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
* Good numerical skills
* Able to measure calculations
* Good verbal communicator
* Good writing skills
* Team working skills
* Able to use own initiative
* Able to work to time scales
* Promote quality standards
* Good organisational skills
* Ability to prioritise work
* Display a positive attitude
* Enthusiastic learner
* Eager to learn
Other requirements
This is a very hands on role, working on the shop floor and will involve standing/being on your feet for sustained periods.