“Welder” covers two very different situations in Australia, and which one you’re in determines what you can earn. Worth understanding before you commit to a training pathway.
Trade-qualified welder versus ticketed welder
A lot of people working as welders never did an apprenticeship. They came through a short course, learned on the job, and hold welding tickets without a trade qualification. That’s a legitimate path into work, and it’s faster.
It also caps you. Without a Certificate III you’re limited in supervisory roles, in what an employer can charge for your time, and in your ability to move into fabrication, inspection or contracting. The apprenticeship route pays less for four years and more for the following forty.
Which award covers you
Welding apprentices generally sit under the Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award (MA000010) in the engineering stream, where the classification runs as Apprentice stage 1 through 4. On-site construction welding may fall under the construction award instead, and major projects are usually covered by an enterprise agreement that pays above both.
Here are the actual Fair Work minimums for a manufacturing apprentice:
| Stage | Hourly | Weekly (38 hrs) |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice — stage 1 | $14.97 | $568.86 |
| Apprentice — stage 2 | $17.95 | $682.10 |
| Apprentice — stage 3 | $22.44 | $852.72 |
| Apprentice — stage 4 | $26.33 | $1,000.54 |
These are the general manufacturing stream rates for a full-time apprentice who started after 1 January 2014 and did not complete Year 12, including the tool allowance, as at 3 August 2026. Completing Year 12 and starting as an adult apprentice both lift these figures, so check your own on the Fair Work Pay Calculator.
The process you specialise in sets your ceiling
Welding isn’t one skill. The main processes pay quite differently:
- MMAW (stick) — versatile, works outdoors and on rusty or dirty steel. Still standard for structural and site repair work.
- GMAW (MIG) — fast and productive, dominant in workshop fabrication and light manufacturing. Easiest to learn, most competition.
- FCAW (flux-cored) — high deposition, common in heavy structural and shipbuilding.
- GTAW (TIG) — the precision process. Stainless, aluminium, thin-wall tube, pressure pipe and food-grade work. Slowest to master and the best paid.
If you want the money, TIG on stainless and exotic materials is where it sits, along with pipe welding in positions that most people can’t hold.
Coded and positional tickets
Certification to a procedure — AS/NZS 1554, ASME IX or similar — is what unlocks pressure and pipeline work. Tickets are tied to a specific process, material, thickness and position, which is why welders accumulate several. The 6G position in particular is a recognised marker of capability and pays accordingly.
These are earned after your trade qualification but planning for them during it changes your trajectory.
Automation is changing the entry level, not the top
Robotic welding cells have absorbed a lot of repetitive production welding. What they haven’t absorbed is repair, one-offs, site work, complex geometry and anything requiring judgement. The effect is that basic MIG production work is under pressure while skilled positional and coded welding is in short supply. Plan accordingly.
Fume is the serious health issue
Welding fume is classified as carcinogenic, and the risks vary by material — stainless produces hexavalent chromium, galvanised produces zinc oxide and metal fume fever, aluminium produces ozone. On-torch extraction, forced ventilation and appropriate respiratory protection are legal obligations on your employer, not preferences. Arc eye and noise round out the exposures.
Your qualification
The trade pathway is MEM31422 Certificate III in Engineering — Fabrication Trade, with welding as the core specialisation. Short-course welding tickets are separate and don’t substitute for it.
How to check your exact rate
Use the Fair Work Pay Calculator with MA000010, your apprentice stage, Year 12 status and adult apprentice status. Where an enterprise agreement applies, that document governs instead. The Fair Work Ombudsman helpline is 13 13 94.
FAQ
Do I need an apprenticeship to be a welder?
No, and many welders don’t have one. But without a trade qualification your progression into supervision, fabrication and contracting is limited.
Which welding process pays the most?
TIG on stainless, aluminium and pressure pipe, particularly in difficult positions. Basic MIG production work pays least and faces the most automation pressure.
What is a 6G ticket?
A pipe welding qualification in a fixed inclined position. It’s demanding, widely recognised, and opens pressure and pipeline work.
Is welding fume actually dangerous?
Yes — it’s classified as carcinogenic, with material-specific risks on top. Extraction and respiratory protection are your employer’s legal responsibility.
General information only — not financial or legal advice. Award rates change annually on 1 July. Check the official source and your state authority before acting.
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