On an engineering construction pipefitter apprenticeship course, you’ll help install, fabricate, maintain and decommission piping systems within engineering construction.
The pipefitter is a vital position in engineering construction. You may work on major infrastructure projects as an apprentice, including power plants and oil and gas facilities in the UK and overseas. Your employment may demand you to work in hazardous environments, such as at heights, above water, or in cramped quarters.
Pipefitters install, assemble, manufacture, maintain, repair, and decommission pipe systems on building sites and in commercial fabrication facilities. Water, steam, food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, gas, hydrocarbons, or fuel may be transported via these systems for use in cooling, heating, lubricating, and other activities.
As a pipefitter, you’ll learn to work with a wide range of pipe materials, such as ferrous and nonferrous metals, plastics, and composites, which vary in diameter and thickness based on the contents of the pipes and the system’s operating pressures.
What you’ll learn
On an engineering construction pipefitter apprenticeship course, you’ll learn to:
- Observe all relevant health and safety, risk, and quality requirements.
- For the fabrication, assembly, installation, and decommissioning of pipework components and systems choose and use tools and equipment appropriately and safely.
- Read, comprehend, and apply data from engineering drawings.
- Assemble and install pipes in line with the specifications, using the appropriate methods, techniques, and equipment, such as welded, threaded, bolted, and clamped jointing solutions.
- Maintain the integrity of joints according to specifications, established quality standards, and precise tolerances.
- Collaborate with colleagues and contribute to effective working relationships in an Engineering Construction environment.
- Keep individuals informed about work plans or activities that may affect them and ask for assistance from others without interfering with normal work operations.
Entry requirements
You’ll usually need:
- Three GCSEs, including English, maths and a science- or technology-based subject, or equivalent qualifications for an advanced apprenticeship.
- Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this before taking the end-point assessment.
Assessment methods
The End Point Assessment comprises two distinct assessment methods:
- Knowledge Test
- Practical assessment
- Structured professional review
Duration, level, subjects and potential salary upon completion
- Duration: 36 months
-
Level: 3 – Advanced Apprenticeship
- Relevant school subjects: Science and DT
- Potential salary upon completion: £30,000 per annum
Apprenticeship standard
More information about the Level 3 Engineering Construction Pipefitter Apprenticeship standard can be found here.
Apprenticeship end point assessment
For more information about the End Point Assessment Process, please read the Institute of Apprenticeships’ information page.