Welder training
Welder Apprenticeship Technical Training (Levels 1–3)
Facts checked 7 September 2026
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Part of the route toWelder·Certificate
Apprenticeship technical training covering multi-process arc welding, torch cutting, metallurgy, and blueprint interpretation.
Ways to get this paid for
Government money that can cover this course. Check who qualifies before you pay.
Free adult upgrading
FreeGrade 11 and 12 courses and English classes are free at public colleges and school districts. This covers the Grade 11 and 12 prerequisite courses, not the program itself.
WorkBC training funding
Up to $7,500 tuitionIf you are out of work or underemployed, a WorkBC case manager can approve and pay for this training. Get approval before you pay.
Canada Training Credit
Half your tuition back, up to $5,000 in your lifeFederal tax credit. $250 a year builds up from age 26. Claim it on your tax return.
BC Access Grant
Up to $4,000 a yearFor low and middle income students in full-time programs under two years at public schools. Assessed when you apply through StudentAid BC.
Money for apprentices
EI, a $4,000 loan per level and a tax creditWhile you are at school for each level. The old federal grants ended in 2025.
THE ROUTE
How this program works, step by step
Grade 11 to the job. Open any step to see what is inside.
The route (8 steps)
For the best view, open the map full screen.
STEP BY STEP
Step by step
The same route as the map, as a list.
Step 1 of 8
Grade 11
⏱ 1 school year- Recommended: Grade 12 or equivalent with Workplace Math 11
Step 2 of 8
Grade 12
⏱ 1 school year- Recommended: Grade 12 or equivalent with Workplace Math 11
Step 3 of 8
What you need to get in
- Registered apprentice with SkilledTradesBC and employer sponsor (or Welder Foundation certificate)
- Registered apprentice with SkilledTradesBC or Welder Foundation certificate
- SkilledTradesBC apprentice registration number
- Registered apprentice with SkilledTradesBC or Welding Foundation certificate
- Active employer sponsor
Step 4 of 8
How to apply
- Enrol with an accredited trade school such as BCIT or regional college
- Submit SkilledTradesBC apprentice ID number and employer verification
- Book annual 8-week technical training blocks
Step 5 of 8
Welder training
⏱ 3 years (Levels 1–3)- 3 levels of technical training (8 weeks per level, 24 weeks total over 3 years)
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)
- Blueprint reading, welding symbols, joint design, and metallurgy
- Pipe welding, pressure vessel fabrication, and non-destructive testing procedures
- Safe operation of plasma cutting, oxy-fuel cutting, and metal fabrication machinery
Step 6 of 8
Where to take it
⏱ 6 schools in BC- British Columbia Institute of Technology — 8 weeks per level, 3 levels (Tuition not yet verified)
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University — 8 weeks per level, 3 levels (Tuition not yet verified)
- Okanagan College — 8 weeks per level, 3 levels (About $1,200 per level)
- Thompson Rivers University — 8 weeks per level, 3 levels (About $1,100 per level)
- Vancouver Island University — 8 weeks per level, 3 levels (Tuition not yet verified)
- Piping Industry College of BC (UA Local 170) — 8 weeks per level, 3 levels (Not published on the school page)
Step 7 of 8
Exams and registration after
- Interprovincial Red Seal Examination
- SkilledTradesBC Certificate of Qualification (Welder)
- Optional Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) positional performance tickets
Step 8 of 8
Leads to: Welder
- Explore Welder wages, job outlook, and career pathways
SCHOOLS
Where you can take this(6 schools)
Compare tuitions, campus locations, and delivery formats across approved institutions in British Columbia.
We have not checked this school's tuition yet. See the school's page.
We have not checked this school's tuition yet. See the school's page.
Tuition changes every year. Confirm on the school's page. Last checked 8 September 2026.
Tuition changes every year. Confirm on the school's page. Last checked 8 September 2026.
We have not checked this school's tuition yet. See the school's page.
Checked 7 September 2026; the school does not list a figure. Ask the school.