How to become a Pressure Welder
Assembles, welds and repairs pressure vessels and pipes to relevant standards.
Main tasks
- Reads and interprets blueprints and technical specifications to determine appropriate welding techniques for pressurised systems
- Examines welds for width of bead, penetration and precision, and performs necessary repairs or reworks
- Shapes, bends, cleans and smooths metal sections and pipes using hand and machine tools, and by heating, hammering, filing and chiselling
- Welds pressurised pipelines used for transporting oil, gas and other high-pressure substances
- Conducts tests on welds to ensure there are no leaks in the pressurised systems
- Applies post-weld treatments to relieve stress and enhance the strength of the welded joints on pressure-containing equipment
Ways in
- TAFE and VET: Certificate IV in Engineering (MEM40119); Certificate IV in ESI Generation Maintenance (Fabrication) (UEP40422); Certificate III in Engineering - Fabrication Trade (MEM31922)
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $87,776 a year
- About 77,200 people work in this job group now, and about 83,000 are projected by 2035. (+7.5%)
- AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
Related jobs
Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz
Questions people ask
How do I become a Pressure Welder?
Ways in include: Certificate IV in Engineering; Certificate IV in ESI Generation Maintenance (Fabrication).
How much does a Pressure Welder earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $87,776 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is a Pressure Welder a growing career in Australia?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 8% by 2035, from about 77,200 to about 83,000 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become a Pressure Welder?
Usually not. Only 8% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate IV in Engineering; Certificate IV in ESI Generation Maintenance (Fabrication).
Will AI change the work of a Pressure Welder?
AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04
Updated 2026-10-04