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Engineering – Welding and Fabrication Level 2 (Braintree Campus)

Welding is the most widely used process to create permanent joints between metal parts and is used across the full range of engineering industries. Learners studying this pathway shall develop skills to be able to mark out and cut using intermediate and advance methods. Students shall gain the essential practical and theoretical skills in a wide variety of welding processes, ranging from gas shielded arc welding to manual metal arc, laser and submerged arc welding in order to assemble and join metals to a standard. Students will also understand common flaws in welded joints and how to assess if a welded joint is satisfactory. Engineering and Manufacturing are vital to the UK economy where a variety of businesses operate in an industry that is worth over £1 trillion annually to the UK. This course develops both practical and technical skills to enable students to progress in their chosen field.

Learners will be given the opportunity to develop both their skills and knowledge to design, innovate and analyse solutions that are essential to modern day life.

Course Info
Do I have to pay a fee?
How to make an Application
Other courses in this area
Who is this course for?

If you like to explore how simple components and complex machines are designed, made or maintained and are keen to develop both practical and technical skills, then this qualification is for you.

What will I learn?

At Level 2 Learners will study theoretical aspects of the subject and apply them to practical tasks.

In addition to your main study programme you will also engage in activities to develop your English, maths and employability skills.

Course Content

Fabrication & Welding Technical Certificate

The Engineering City and Guilds Technical Certificate is ideal for learners wishing to develop their skills and knowledge within the engineering and manufacturing sector in order to progress to higher education (degree level) courses, apprenticeships and careers within the industry.

This course develops the essential skills and knowledge needed within the fields of Fabrication & Welding. The core units provide a broad range of underpinning hand skills and knowledge needed to function in all industry sectors including mathematics, science, business operations and materials in the process that allows engineers to overcome a range of challenges. This pathway covers the following units:

  • Principles of Engineering
  • Developing Engineering Workshop Practice
  • Working in Engineering Businesses
  • Welding Processes
  • Fabrication Practice
  • Cutting Processes

Click here to view unit outlines

Entry Requirements
  • 4 GCSEs (9-3), including English and Maths, or satisfactory results (Merit/Distinction) in a relevant Level 1 qualification
  • An interview

Applicants with previous experience of engineering technologies will be considered on an individual basis.

What Can I Do Next?

Successful learners can progress onto the Advanced Technical Certificate/Diploma in Engineering or onto an Advanced Apprenticeship, which are equivalent to 2 A Levels and available in a number of industry pathways including Manufacturing, Mechanical/Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

Career routes within the Engineering industry include roles within the Manufacturing, Mechanical Engineering, Electronics, Robotics and Maintenance sectors in roles such as Mechanical Engineers

All students aged 16-18 on the first day of their course will have their course fully-funded by the government.

Costs of studying

If you are/will be aged 16, 17 or 18 on the 31st August in the calendar year when you begin a programme of study, you DO NOT pay tuition fees, College registration fees or examination/board registration fees. However, there are some courses which have additional costs which could include:

  • equipment costs – such as uniforms, kits, boots, etc.
  • trips and enrichment activities
  • DBS checks (formerly CRB checks)

For students with an identified low household income, there may be financial support available. Bursary awards can help with your course related costs such as travel, books and equipment and much more.

Aged 19+ - Fees and Funding

If you are aged 19 and over, in certain circumstances you may be eligible for a fee waiver and therefore you will not have to pay for this course. 

Eligibility for a fee waiver will depend your age at the start of the course, your previous qualifications, your employment status and whether you claim certain benefits.

If you do not meet the criteria for a fee waiver, you may be eligible for some assistance from the College’s Bursary Funds, depending on the household financial circumstances.

If you do not meet the criteria for a fee waiver, and are not eligible for assistance from the Bursary Fund, you will have to pay for this course.

Published course fees for this course are located further down this course information page.

Aged 19+ - Do I have to pay a fee?

The information in this section applies to this course, and may not apply to other courses with different funding criteria.

You will not pay tuition fees if you are:
aged 19-24 at the 31st August 2023 and have an active Education, Health and Care Plan
aged 19-23 and have not achieved a level 2 qualification in any other subject (or 5 GCSEs grades 9-4)
over 19 at the start of the course, unemployed and in receipt of benefits
over 19 at the start of the course, employed and have a gross annual salary under £20,319 per annum
If you are aged 19-23 and have previously achieved a Level 2 qualification, if you do not meet the low income or unemployment criteria you will not be eligible for a fee waiver
You will not meet the low income or unemployment criteria if you:
are aged over 19 at the start of the course, unemployed and are not in receipt of benefits
are aged over 19 at the start of the course, employed and have a gross annual salary over £20,319 per annum
Therefore you will pay tuition fees

In certain circumstances, the College’s discretionary bursary fund maybe able to assist with a contribution towards tuition fees. Eligibility to the fund depends on the household’s financial circumstances.  Further information regarding the discretionary bursary fund can be found further down this page.

Am I eligible for a bursary?

Applicants thinking of enrolling on this course can apply for funding to help with the costs associated with attending college.  Bursary funds are targeted at students where there is an identified low household income.

The bursary fund cannot provide help with costs unrelated to your course, such as general living expenses, nor can it be used as an attendance incentive.

Applications to the fund are not normally considered if the household income exceeds £25,000 but may be considered in some instances if the household is experiencing severe financial hardship.

The 16-19 Bursary Fund is aimed at helping:
Students who are aged 16, 17 or 18 on the 31st August 2023
Students aged 19 who started a two-year programme before their 19th birthday
Students aged 19 or over on 31st August 2023 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

If you do not meet the above criteria then you are likely to be eligible for support through the 19+ Bursary Fund

Funds are targeted at course related costs such as travel, childcare, books and equipment.

Regardless of income or employment status, students self-funding (including where an employer is covering course fees), are not eligible for financial assistance through any discretionary bursary funds.

When can I apply?

******Applications for student funding for learners starting in September 2023 are now open. Applications can be made from this page using the button below.*****

For courses starting in September 2023, applications should be made by 1st November 2023. If you find yourself in financial hardship after this date it is important that you still contact Student Services. Applications received after 1st November will be considered on a pro-rata basis subject to need and the availability of funds.

16-19 Bursary Information
19+ Bursary Information
Payment Options

Payment should be made in full at the time of enrolment. Acceptable payment methods include Debit Card and Credit Card (excluding American Express). Please note that we are no longer able to accept cash or cheque payments.

Can I pay in instalments?

Yes, you can spread the cost of fees. Any student of the College who pays his/her own programme costs is entitled to do so on a monthly payment plan basis, providing the total course fees exceed £200 and the student is aged 19 years, or over, on 31st August in the current academic year.

Where total course fees exceed £200 you (or your employer, if they are paying your course fees) can choose to pay your fees in instalments through a monthly payment plan and 40% of the fee or £500 (whichever is lower) will be payable at enrolment.

The balance must be paid within 6 months or by the end date if the course is less than 6 months in duration.

The monthly instalment payments will also be set up at the point of enrolment, or if you are enrolling using our online enrolment process, a member of our Finance team will contact you to set up the instalment plan after you have submitted your online enrolment.

In order to pay through monthly instalments, students must sign the Colchester Institute Instalment Payment Plan terms and conditions!

If a student fails to sign up to an instalment plan at enrolment all fees will become due for payment within 30 days.

Failure to fulfil any terms and conditions of an instalment agreement will result in you becoming immediately liable for the full outstanding balance and you may not be entitled to pay any future fees by instalments.

Please download and save the form below, then fill it in and sign it. These forms can either be emailed to registry@colchester.ac.uk prior to enrolment, or if you are completing an online enrolment you can upload these documents during the enrolment process.

Further Education Fee Instalment Student Terms and Conditions

Employers who are funding a student’s fees must complete and sign an authorisation form which must be submitted either prior to or at enrolment together with an advance payment of 40% of the course fee or £500, whichever is lower. This can be paid via the online store prior to or at the point of Enrolment.

If the advance payment is not made prior to or at Enrolment the student will not be eligible to attend college.

Further Education Employer Authorisation Form, Instalment Plan, Terms and Conditions

How to make an Application – Watch our video guide!

****Applications for courses starting in September 2023 are now closed****

The application window for full-time courses and joint apprenticeship applications starting in September 2024 opens on Monday 2nd October at 12pm.

Before submitting your online application, make sure you have got an email address which you will check frequently and which is professional and appropriate for this purpose, and use this when you create your account. Submit the application as early as possible and remember to make a note of your USERNAME and PASSWORD details! You will need these later.

We have prepared a step-by-step video guide below – please view this video which will guide you through the application process.

Application Do's and Don'ts

Application Tips

If you have chosen the study programme you would like to apply for then you are almost there. We recommend that you read our handy application tips, watch our video and then make your application.

You can only apply for one full-time programme and one apprenticeship. You can do this together within the same application form, in what is known as a joint application.

Remember, you cannot study more than one core subject.  For example, you would not be able to study two full-time programmes in different subjects simultaneously. You would take Plumbing or Music, not Plumbing and Music.

Your subject will be your primary qualification and forms the bulk of your programme of study.

Application Dos

  • Apply as early as possible. We start accepting applications from 2nd October 2023 and have set an initial deadline of 31st January 2024 for a priority application on your chosen programme (subject to you satisfying the entry requirements), although we still accept applications after this date but may not be able to guarantee you a place on your chosen programme.
  • Think carefully about your course choice before you apply. Talk to your head of year or careers adviser at school to make sure you have explored all your options and have found a course that suits you best. You may wish to attend one of our open days to find out more before applying.
  • Make sure you attend any interviews or assessments we invite you to. These are a mandatory part of our process. They give you the opportunity to find out more about our courses, as well as allowing us to make sure you are on the most appropriate course for you. Some courses may invite you to attend a second interview or audition to demonstrate your skills and to ensure you are on the most appropriate level for you.
  • Please let us know if your contact details or address change. We will use a variety of letters, emails and texts to communicate with you throughout the process, and the information we provide is both confidential and vital to your application. If you move home or change your phone number and don’t inform us of any changes, you could miss some vital information.

Application Don’ts

  • Do not make multiple applications. If you are unsure, for example, of which construction/trade subject you would like to study, please only make an application for one of them. Likewise, if you later wish you had applied for a different course, please don’t worry – we can change your application. Whatever the reason for wanting to change, there is no need to make another application.
  • Do not use a school email address when you create your account. Remember, you will need to access this account later in the summer after you have left school.
  • Do not create another account if you have previously applied. If you have applied in previous years, please do not create a new account. If you are unsure, contact us to check which username and password to use.

Just call us on 01206 712777

Engineering – Welding and Fabrication Level 2 (Braintree Campus)
LevelLevel 2
LocationBraintree
DurationOne Year
Study ModeFull-Time
Campus / Adult Skills CentreBraintree Campus
Start DateSeptember 2024
Fee(s)16-18 year olds: Free
19+: £1,410
Course Enquiry Line: 01206 712 777Course and Application EnquiriesOpen Event UpdatesReceive Updates For Parents & GuardiansFee Exemptions Apply

Disclaimer

All fees, prices and funding information shown on this page are for courses starting in the 2023-24 academic year unless stated otherwise, and are correct at the time of entering/printing information, however these may be subject to change due to factors outside of our control. The College cannot accept legal or financial liability as a result of any such changes.

Courses fees are generally not confirmed for September until June / July due to the above factors.

The course information describes programmes offered by Colchester Institute. The College takes all reasonable steps to provide courses as described, but cannot guarantee provision. The information is for guidance and does not form any part of a contract.

The College reserves the right to update and amend information as and when necessary. Colchester Institute will do its best to provide the courses shown, but may have to modify or withdraw a course depending on customer demand and other factors.

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