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Welder
As a Welder working in offshore wind farm energy storage, you’ll be responsible for joining and repairing metal parts for things like hydrogen tanks, pipelines, battery storage frames, and structural supports. In the Storage & Industrial zone, your focus will be on making sure all the storage facilities and distribution systems are strong, airtight, and able to withstand tough offshore environments.
Key Responsibilities
Fabricating and assembling pipelines for hydrogen and gas storage.
• Welding battery storage frames and steel supports.
• Repairing offshore structures exposed to harsh marine environments.
• Making sure all welded joints meet safety, strength, and environmental standards.
• Reading and following complex engineering blueprints.
• Conducting inspections to find and fix any weak points.
You’ll be helping to create vital energy storage infrastructure that helps offshore wind farms
work smoothly and safely!
As for what you’ll most likely be doing:
• Reading technical drawings and blueprints - You’ll need to understand detailed design plans, so you know exactly where to cut, join, and fit metal parts.
• Preparing and aligning materials - Before you even start welding, you’ll measure and set up the metals carefully, making sure everything lines up perfectly to avoid weak points.
• Performing different welding techniques - Offshore structures often need very precise, high-quality welds that can handle harsh environments.
• Inspecting and testing welds - You’ll check your work for cracks, weak joints, or other issues. You might use visual inspections or specialist testing equipment like ultrasonic testers to make sure every weld is safe and secure.
• Following health and safety procedures - Welding can be dangerous, especially when working with high-pressure hydrogen storage or near sensitive battery systems. You’ll wear protective clothing and make sure your work area is safe.
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Salary Range
Entry-Level
Experienced
Essential Skills
To be a successful Welder, you’ll need:
• Strong attention to detail.
• Good hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity.
• Ability to work safely and follow technical plans.
• Physical stamina for working in tight spaces and varied conditions.
• Understanding of metals, temperatures, and welding techniques.
• Good teamwork and communication skills.
Training Providers in the UK
Qualifications and Training
At school and college, you’ll typically need:
GCSEs: Minimum 2–4 passes at grade 4/C or above, especially in:
• Mathematics (important for measurements and angles).
• English (to understand technical instructions).
• Science (helpful for understanding metals and heat processes).
Further training: After GCSEs, you’ll be able to take a Level 2 or Level 3 qualification in Welding or Fabrication and Welding Engineering.
After such, you can go down the apprenticeship route by applying for a Plate Welder Level 3 apprenticeship. Or down the University route, by gathering a wider knowledge of engineering and then going further into welding at post-graduate level.
When it comes to becoming a Welder in the renewable energy industry, University is not usually required for hands-on welding roles. Most welders enter the career through college courses, apprenticeships, or direct training programmes.
However, if you want to move into specialist welding engineering, offshore construction management, or welding inspection roles, studying at university can give you the advanced technical knowledge needed to work on big offshore storage projects safely and efficiently.
Entry requirements to get into university include:
• 3 A Levels at grades BBC to ABB, usually including Mathematics, Physics, or Engineering-related subjects.
As for degrees, you could take a course in subjects such as:
• Mechanical Engineering – This course teaches you how mechanical systems are designed, built, and maintained. In the Storage & Industrial Zone, this translates into creating the turbines, compressors, and cooling systems for hydrogen storage, as well as mechanical handling systems for battery units. You’ll study thermodynamics, materials science, fluid mechanics, systems design, and control engineering. You could study Mechanical Engineering at Swansea University. This degree teaches you how to design, build, and improve machines, engines, and energy systems, like the ones used in offshore wind farms, hydrogen storage tanks, and battery facilities. You’ll learn about how materials behave under stress, how energy moves through systems, and how to design technology that is safe, strong, and efficient. They typically require you to have at least an AAB at A Level, including Mathematics.
Even though this or related degrees do not include welding, these options allow you to build a strong, broad engineering background that will then allow you to gain further specialise knowledge with post-graduate education. This can be seen:
• Welding Engineering at Cranfield University - This postgraduate degree teaches you about welding process modelling, metallurgy, design for offshore structures, and quality inspection. To get onto this course, you usually need a 2:2 or 2:1 degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or a similar field.
You can also become a Welder without going to university and in fact in this field, apprenticeships are the more direct route. Welding is a highly practical skill that employers value most when it’s backed by hands-on experience.
• Plate Welder (Level 3) - As a Plate Welder, you’ll learn how to weld large metal plates together, which is a key skill when building things like offshore storage tanks for hydrogen or heavy battery housing units. You’ll be trained to use techniques like MIG, TIG, and flux-cored welding to create strong, high-quality joints that can survive harsh offshore conditions. The apprenticeship teaches you about welding standards, material properties, and how to read engineering drawings. You usually need around 4 or 5 GCSEs at grade 4/C or above, including Maths, English, and a Science, to get onto a Level 3 apprenticeship.
• Metal Fabricator (Level 3) – As a Metal Fabricator, you’ll learn how to shape and join metal parts to make complex structures. In the offshore renewable sector, this could include working on wind turbine platforms, energy storage containers, and offshore hydrogen plants. You’ll be trained in fabrication, cutting, forming, and welding methods, and how to safely build things that can handle offshore weather. Entry requirements are usually 4 or 5 GCSEs at grade 4/C or above, including Maths, English, and Science, along with a Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering or Extended Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering.
Apprenticeships like these give you the chance to earn while you learn, build real industry contacts, and quickly move into important roles in offshore wind and energy storage construction.