Full-time Certificate Course
For Domestic Students
New Zealand Certificate in Welding (Level 3) & (Level 4)
NZQA Qualifications:
- 4605 – NZ Certificate in Welding (Level 3)
- 4606 – NZ Certificate in Welding (Level 4)
Intake Dates
- January 26th 2026 – Enrolling Now!
- July 20th 2026
Duration
- Domestic students
- Level 3 – 20 weeks
- Level 4 – 20 weeks
- 4 hours per day, 5 days per week, plus some homework
Location
- 4a Lismore Street, Christchurch
Fees: (tbc for 2026)
- Level 3 $4612.86
- Level 4 $4932.88
Student Loan:
- Yes available through StudyLink
FeesFree
- Yes available if eligible (see FAQ Below)
Course Overview
The Level 3 & 4 programmes are aimed at people intending to become professional welders. Successful candidates will learn a variety of welding skills and techniques recognized in the welding industry.
The Level 3 is your starting point where you learn what is needed to be a ‘supervised welder’ roles may include ‘production welder’ or ‘trade assistant’.
The Level 4 programme then builds on the Level 3 training and gives you the skills and knowledge required to work as skilled welders in a broad range of engineering fabrication, steel construction, mechanical engineering, and manufacturing workplaces. Roles may include ‘production welder’ or ‘structural steel welder’.
Minimum age for domestic student entry is 16 years, there is no upper age limit for this course. (See FAQ below)
Course Details
Click below to find out more about each course
Level 3: Foundation Course
- Designed for beginners – no experience needed.
- Teaches essential welding skills
- Prepares students for entry-level roles or further study
- This qualification provides the engineering and manufacturing industries with individuals who have attained the knowledge, understanding, and practical skills required to safely and effectively carry out basic welding tasks.
- The qualification has been designed for individuals who are interested in a career in welding and intend to enter the profession, and individuals already in the welding sector who wish to get qualified.
- Graduates will be capable of safely performing a defined range of welding tasks, under limited supervision.
Level 3 Qualification – Foundation Skills Graduates will be able to:
- Work safely, applying knowledge of relevant Health and Safety requirements and safety culture, when carrying out basic welding tasks.
- Apply basic knowledge of trade terminology, trade calculations, measurement, interpretation of basic engineering drawings and sketches, and communication to the basic welding tasks being undertaken.
- Apply basic knowledge of engineering metals in relation to their applications, mechanical properties, and their weldability, along with distortion controls.
- Correctly set up, use, and maintain welding equipment.
- Perform a defined range of basic welding tasks in defined positions, using
- relevant materials and equipment and according to instructions and written procedures.
- Take responsibility for quality of own work, including making corrections as required.
What You’ll Learn
- Welding Techniques
- GMAW (Mig), FCAW (Flux Cored), MMAW (Arc), GTAW (Tig) on mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminium
- Plasma and Gas Cutting on mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminium
- Workshop Skills
- Safe use of engineering tools and machinery
- Health and safety procedures
- Solid theoretical understanding of welding
What You’ll Gain
Upon successful completion of this course you’ll gain the following NZQA Approved Qualification
- 4605 – New Zealand Certificate in Welding (Level 3). 60 credits
Education Pathway
- The Level 3 qualification leads to, and is a pre-requisite for, the New Zealand Certificate in Welding (Level 4) [Ref: 4606].
- The intended framework for progression in the industry to becoming a qualified tradesperson is to achieve the combination of the Level 3 qualification and the New Zealand Certificate in Welding (Level 4) [Ref: 4606].
Employment Pathway
- Graduates of the Level 3 qualification will have the skills and knowledge required to work in a range of engineering and manufacturing workplaces. Roles may include production welder or trade assistant.
- Graduates of the Level 3 qualification may also progress to an engineering fabrication apprenticeship in a broad range of industries including engineering fabrication, steel construction, mechanical engineering, and manufacturing.
Level 4: Advanced Training
- Builds on Level 3 skills
- Focuses on advanced techniques and real-world applications
Level 4 Qualification – Advanced Skills Graduates will be able to:
- Apply relevant Health and Safety legislation and knowledge of the workplace safety culture in order to work safely and meet responsibilities in a commercial fabrication, construction, engineering, or manufacturing environment.
- Apply knowledge of trade and welding calculations to a range of welding tasks.
- Apply knowledge of interpreting engineering drawings and sketches, the composition and characteristics of engineering metals, and welding principles and practices, to problem solve while performing welding tasks to industry standards.
- Correctly set up, use, and maintain welding equipment for effective application of welding processes in relevant welding positions, applying distortion control methods, and according to instructions and written procedures, to safely weld metals to an appropriate industry standard and quality.
What You’ll Learn
- Welding Techniques
- GMAW (Mig), FCAW (Flux Cored), MMAW (Arc), GTAW (Tig) on mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminium
- Plasma and Gas Cutting on mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminium
- Workshop Skills
- Safe use of engineering tools and machinery
- Health and safety procedures
- Solid theoretical understanding of welding
- Career Preparation
- CV and job application writing advice to help you confidently enter the workforce
What You’ll Gain
Upon successful completion of this course you’ll gain the following NZQA Approved Qualification
- 4606 – New Zealand Certificate in Welding (Level 4). 60 credits
Education Pathway
- The Level 4 qualification follows builds on from the New Zealand Certificate in Welding (Level 3) [Ref: 4605].
- The intended framework for progression in the industry to becoming a qualified tradesperson is to achieve the combination of the Level 4 qualification and the New Zealand Certificate in Welding (Level 3) [Ref: 4605].
Employment Pathway
- Graduates will have the skills and knowledge required to work as skilled welders in a broad range of engineering fabrication, steel construction, mechanical engineering, and manufacturing workplaces. Roles may include production welder or structural steel welder.
- Graduates may also progress to:
- an engineering fabrication apprenticeship in a broad range of industries including engineering fabrication, steel construction, mechanical engineering, and manufacturing
- welding supervisory roles
Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ
Application to Enrol
- Fill in the form on the “Contact” page
- We will email you an Enrolment pack
- Read all the information thoroughly and complete Application to enrol form and the Medical form.
- Check that you have completed all parts of the form and included all required documentation e.g. copy of Passport or Birth Certificate – Not Driver Licence
- Email your Application to enrol form, Medical form and any additional information required eg copy of Passport back to us.
Next Steps
- Once we have processed your application, we will email you with our decision.
- If successful you will receive an email from the National Trade Academy (NTA) with a Letter of Acceptance form
- You need to sign the back page of that form and send it back to us to confirm your enrolment.
Don’t Forget
- The Letter of Acceptance form will also contain an Invoice for the course fees, it is your responsibility to organise payment of the fees.
- Now is the time to apply to StudyLink if you require a student loan – Do not put this off as wait times can be very long.
Funding
Please note that due to Privacy Laws we cannot assist you with sourcing funding for your course.
Essentially we will send you an invoice for your course fees and it is your responsibility on how to pay, either by Student Loan, or self-funding.
See Below are links and details of the organisations that can offer funding options, if you know of others please feel free to approach them instead.
Inland Revenue is responsible for supporting learners with final-year Fees Free information, assessing learner eligibility and making entitlement payments.
Student Loans
These are available from StudyLink, their page is here:
https://www.studylink.govt.nz/
Applications can be completed online on their website.
Notes:
Please make sure that you select “National Trade Academy” as the provider as apparently there are other providers with similar names.
The course code for your course is below:
NZ4605 – New Zealand Certificate Welding (Level 3)
The full list of information you will require before beginning the application is at this site here:
Course Related Costs
This is an additional loan that can be requested from Studylink to cover the optional items listed in the cost section on the first page of this letter. You can request up to $1000 per StudyLink loan and the application button and further details can be found here:
https://www.studylink.govt.nz/products/a-z-products/student-loan/course-related-costs.html
Student Allowance
You may be eligible for a student allowance, this is also through StudyLink and the eligibility criteria and application process can be found here: https://www.studvlink.govt.nz/products/a-z-products/student-allowance/index.html
Entry Requirements for Domestic Students
- No previous welding experience needed.
- Domestic Students must be 16 years of age or older before the start the course.
- Domestic students under age 25 must have NCEA level 1. (If you are over 25 you must prove numeracy and literacy ability)
- Applicants should have a desire to pathway onto further study or start a career.
- Students must have successfully completed the Level 3 course before starting the Level 4 course.
- Applicants should have sufficient physical stamina to be able to weld for several hours per day.
- Applicants must be able to perform the mechanical tasks required to complete the course unit standards.
- All applicants must prove their legal status to allow them study in New Zealand (NZ Passport or Permanent Resident Visa or Birth Cert (Not Driver Licence).
Your Fees are as above (see top of page) our fees include all course costs including all your books / work sheets / assessment guides, also your workshop course materials / consumables, plus one full set of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) which includes:
- Welding Helmet
- Safety Glasses
- Steel Cap Boots
- Overalls
- Gloves
- Ear Plugs
- Dust Masks
If you successfully pass you will gain:
- For the Level 3 Course
- New Zealand Certificate in Welding (Level 3)
- For the Level 4 Course
- New Zealand Certificate in Welding (Level 4)
These are both Unit Standard based NZQA approved qualifications and your results will appear on your NZQA Record of Learning.
Career Opportunities
An ever increasing number of medium and large engineering / manufacturing companies now require their welders to be qualified with the NZ Certificate in Welding Level 3 and Level 4.
There is a shortage of trained skilled welders in New Zealand, so now has never been a better time to train to be a Qualified Welder. According to Careers.govt.nz you can expect to earn between $60K up to $125K
- Welding is used in:
- Automotive i.e. Towbars (Mig, Arc and Tig).
- Agricultural equipment i.e. Dairy – Silos, irrigation systems, installation. (Mig, Tig and Arc).
- Construction i.e. earthquake strengthening and construction of modern high rise building (Mig and Arc).
- Oil and Gas Industry – i.e. pipes or working in refineries (Mig, Arc and Tig).
- Kitchen manufacturing Industry i.e. manufacturing stainless steel kitchenware (Tig).
- Aviation Industry ie Tig welding (Tig).
- Marine ie underwater welding and boat building and repairs (Mig, Arc and Tig).
- Gas Cutting ie metal recycling.
- Manufacturing in general.
Qualification Pathways
- With the Level 4 qualification, you are a qualified welder. With further Work Experience and/or qualifications you may aspire to become one of the following:
- Workshop Supervisor.
- Welding Inspector.
- Welding Supervisor.
- Welding engineer.
- Manufacturing engineer.
- Mechanical Engineer.
- Engineering Contractor.
Domestic student level 3 & 4 certificate courses are provided through the Welding Academy under contract to the National Trade Academy.
