The Level 3 Metal Fabricator, and the 47 providers delivering it.
Manufacturing anything that can be fabricated out of metal such as bridges, oil rigs and ships.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices learn to work with a wide range of metals, including steel, aluminium and titanium, at thicknesses from under 1mm to over 20mm. They develop skills in reading and interpreting engineering drawings and international standards, then applying those to fabricate components and structures accurately. Responsibilities include selecting appropriate materials and techniques, maintaining quality throughout the fabrication process, and meeting health, safety and environmental requirements. Work spans both factory and on-site environments, with fabrications ranging from small hand-held components to large structural assemblies.
Day-to-day responsibilities
On a typical week, an apprentice will mark out, cut, shape and join metal using hand tools, power tools and fabrication equipment. They read engineering drawings to check dimensions and tolerances, and inspect their own work against specifications before sign-off. They liaise with welders, fitters, inspectors and stores personnel to keep jobs moving. Where structures require assembly in stages, they may work alongside riggers or steel erectors. On operational sites they are expected to follow site-specific safety protocols and contribute to environmental protection procedures.
Career outlook
Most completers go on to work as qualified metal fabricators in advanced manufacturing or engineering construction. From there, progression typically leads to senior fabricator, leading hand, or supervisory roles such as fabrication supervisor or works manager. Some move into quality inspection or move across into related trades such as welding or pipefitting. Employers hiring for this role include structural steelwork contractors, shipyards, oil and gas fabrication yards, aerospace and automotive manufacturers, and general engineering firms across the UK.
47 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
SETA is an industry-focused engineering training provider offering apprenticeship programmes and tec...
The College of West Anglia is a large further and higher education college providing education and t...
Nottingham College is a general further and higher education college based in Nottingham, offering a...
Furness College is a further education provider based in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, operating from ...
Shrewsbury College, part of Shrewsbury Colleges Group, offers one of the largest and most flexible f...
Petroc is a further and higher education college in Devon offering an extensive apprenticeship portf...
The Engineering College is a specialist engineering training provider based in Birkenhead, serving i...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completers typically move into substantive Metal Fabricator roles, working independently or as part of a fabrication team. Day-to-day responsibilities include reading and interpreting engineering drawings, marking out, cutting, forming, and joining metal components to specification. Depending on the employer, this might mean producing structural steelwork, pressure vessels, pipework assemblies, sheet metal enclosures, or bespoke components for plant and machinery.
Progression paths
With a few years of production experience, fabricators often move into Senior Fabricator or Lead Fabricator positions, taking responsibility for a work cell or small team. From there, the two common tracks are people leadership, progressing to Fabrication Supervisor or Production Team Leader, or technical specialism, moving into Quality Inspector, Welding Inspector, or Fabrication Engineer roles. Further qualifications such as welding certifications or HNC/HND study in engineering support both directions.
Where these roles sit
Demand is strongest in structural steelwork contractors, oil and gas fabrication yards, shipyards, aerospace sub-contract manufacturers, and general engineering workshops. Automotive and rail supply chains also hire fabricators, as do specialist maintenance contractors working on petrochemical and power generation sites. Employers range from small job-shop fabricators with a handful of staff to large Tier 1 contractors and publicly listed manufacturers. Both private sector production environments and publicly funded infrastructure projects generate ongoing demand.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Learning takes place alongside real employment, with the apprentice building competence in fabrication tasks throughout the programme. Before final assessment, there is a readiness check (commonly called the gateway) at which the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for the role. Final assessment then confirms the apprentice can work to the standard expected of a competent metal fabricator, including meeting engineering specifications and HS&E responsibilities. Assessment arrangements for many standards are currently being updated, so check the standard's page on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (gov.uk) for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
The strongest preparation is keeping records of real fabrication work throughout the apprenticeship rather than trying to gather evidence at the end. This means documenting tasks across different metals, thicknesses and fabrication contexts as they arise on the job. Working closely with the employer and training provider to track progress against the knowledge, skills and behaviours in the standard helps avoid gaps before the gateway. Apprentices should treat every workshop task, site job and quality check as an opportunity to build that body of evidence from day one.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Providers delivering this standard well tend to have strong workshop facilities, including plate-working and structural fabrication bays with equipment covering the size and material range the occupation actually demands, from thin sheet up to heavy structural sections. On FATP, look for achievement rates above 65%, though above 75% is a stronger signal given the 42-month commitment. Employer satisfaction scores carry particular weight here, since the standard requires close alignment with drawing interpretation, dimensional accuracy, and current HS&E practice. Ask whether the provider has placed completers in fabrication roles across sectors such as structural steelwork, process plant, or precision sheet metal.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious of providers with high learner volumes but declining achievement rates, which can signal that throughput is prioritised over quality. Vague descriptions of workshop provision, or facilities that appear geared only to light sheet work when your role involves structural or heavy-plate fabrication, are worth probing. Providers who cannot give specific examples of how they cover engineering drawing interpretation, tolerance checking, or relevant international standards alongside practical work should be questioned. Low employer satisfaction scores on FATP, or no visible learner reviews, are also worth weighing carefully before committing.
Questions to ask before you commit
- What workshop equipment do you have, and does it cover the material thicknesses and section sizes our apprentices will work with on the job?
- How do you deliver engineering drawing interpretation and geometric dimensioning, and how is that assessed?
- Which HS&E standards and legislation does the programme cover, and how recently was that content reviewed?
- What is your current achievement rate for this standard, and how has it moved over the last two years?
- Can you show us examples of the kinds of fabrications or projects apprentices complete during off-the-job training?
- Do you have experience delivering this standard across different fabrication sectors, such as structural steelwork, process plant, or precision sheet metal?
- How do you coordinate with employers to ensure on-the-job activity complements what is covered in the training centre?
Common questions
What qualifications or experience does someone need to start a Metal Fabricator apprenticeship?
There are no nationally fixed entry requirements, so employers set their own criteria. Most look for a basic standard of maths and English, often GCSE grade 4 or equivalent, since reading engineering drawings and taking measurements are central to the job. Some employers accept prior workshop experience or relevant vocational qualifications, while others are happy to take on candidates with no background in engineering at all, provided they show practical aptitude.
How long does the apprenticeship take and how is the time split between work and training?
The typical duration is 42 months. The apprentice is employed throughout and works in a real fabrication environment from day one, developing skills on the job alongside any off-the-job training their provider delivers. The exact split of on-the-job and off-the-job time is subject to current government reforms, so check the current specification on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education page on gov.uk before planning your programme.
How is the Metal Fabricator apprenticeship assessed at the end?
Before sitting the end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, at which point the employer, training provider and apprentice confirm that all required skills, knowledge and behaviours have been developed. Assessment models for many standards are being reviewed as part of ongoing Skills England reforms, so the current assessment method should be confirmed against the live standard on gov.uk. The apprentice must demonstrate competence to an independent assessor before the qualification is awarded.
How does an employer pay for this apprenticeship?
The funding band for this standard is £27,000, which is the maximum that can be drawn from government funding. Larger employers with an apprenticeship levy account use levy funds directly. Smaller employers who do not pay the levy co-invest with the government, typically contributing 5 percent of training costs while the government covers the rest. Employers with fewer than 50 staff who take on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing, as the government funds the full training cost.
What does a Metal Fabricator apprentice actually do during the working day?
Day-to-day work involves reading and interpreting engineering drawings, marking out and cutting metal, and joining components through welding, bolting or other methods to produce finished structures. Materials include steel, aluminium and titanium across a wide range of thicknesses. Apprentices might work on anything from small sheet metal enclosures to large structural steelwork for bridges or industrial plant. They work alongside welders, inspectors, riggers and planners, and are responsible for the accuracy and quality of their own output throughout.
What can a Metal Fabricator do after completing the apprenticeship?
Completing at Level 3 gives a solid platform for progression into senior fabricator or specialist roles, including coded welding, structural steelwork or precision sheet metal work. Some move into inspection, quality assurance or supervisory positions. Others progress to higher-level apprenticeships in engineering or manufacturing management. The qualification is recognised across advanced manufacturing and engineering construction, so career options extend well beyond the employer where the apprenticeship was completed.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 399.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.