Five of the Hunter Class Frigate Program’s apprentices have achieved their Structured Welding qualifications, graduating to the next stage of their four-year apprenticeships. This means the apprentices are no longer working in the training bays – they are now working on the prototype blocks alongside the production workforce.
To achieve Structured Welding qualifications, the apprentices had to perform welding tasks under the supervision of a Lloyd’s Register representative, and their welds had to be assessed by an independent reviewer – the welds had to pass visual and mechanical tests.
Apprentice trainer, John Watson said: “For first-year apprentices to be doing advanced welding to such a high standard is an incredible achievement. They needed to perform four different welds to achieve this qualification: vertical and overhead welds, with two different types of wire. They’ve graduated from the training environment into working teams under supervision. I’m incredibly proud – it’s a massive achievement.”
By end of 2022, a further 12 apprentices will have graduated to the next stage of their apprenticeships. There are currently 34 apprentices on the Hunter program, as well as 23 graduates and 10 interns. Almost 1,500 people are currently working on the Hunter program.