Structure and specialties of metal fabricator training
From basic course to journeyman exam — and the career paths that open up
Introduction
The blacksmith programme is a vocational programme that alternates between school periods and training in a company. It lasts from 2 years and 6 months to 5 years, including the 1st and 2nd parts of the basic course of 20 weeks each. Step 1 ends with a school exam and a training certificate. Step 2 and the welder specialisation end with a journeyman's exam and a journeyman's certificate.
The basic course
The education starts with a basic course where the student becomes acquainted with the basic tools, materials, and working methods in metalworking, while general subjects such as Danish and mathematics are included. The basic course provides a common foundation before the student chooses the specific main course and specialization.
Before the main programme: four certificates
To start the school teaching in the main programme, you must have these certificates:
- 01Working environment and safety, welding and thermal cutting
- 02First aid equivalent to «Førstehjælp på erhvervsuddannelserne» (first aid in vocational training)
- 03Basic fire fighting
- 04Hot work
Main course and specializations
The main programme is divided into levels. Level 1 has the specialisation smith – machining. At level 2 the student chooses between structural smith, who works broadly with construction and machining, smith – maritime, aimed at ship and offshore structures, smith – stainless, specialising in stainless steel for the food and process industries among others, and energy technology. Welder is a separate specialisation without levels, where welding technique is the core skill.
- 01Smith – machining — level 1, the foundation for level 2
- 02Structural fabricator — broad construction and machining of metal
- 03Smith – maritime — ship and offshore structures
- 04Smith – stainless — stainless steel for the food and process industries
- 05Energy technology — specialisation at level 2
- 06Welder — in-depth welding technique across methods (no levels)
Step 1 is at level 3 in the Danish qualifications framework; step 2 and the welder specialisation are at level 4. The programme can be taken as EUX in the specialisations klejnsmed (structural blacksmith), stainless steel blacksmith and maritime blacksmith.
How long does the main programme take?
| Course | Main course | Of which school |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1, young people | 1 year and 6 months | 20 uger |
| Step 2, young people | A further 2 years | 15 uger |
| Welder, young people | 2 år | 20 uger |
| Step 1, adults (EUV) | 1 year and 5 months | 18 weeks |
| Step 2, adults (EUV) | A further 2 years | 13 weeks |
| Welder, adults (EUV) | 1 year and 11 months | 18 weeks |
| EUX | 4 år | 67.6 weeks |
School periods and on-the-job training
The main programme alternates between school periods, where the apprentice works with theory and exercises under controlled conditions, and periods of on-the-job training in a company, where the apprentice meets the pace, customers and demands of real production. The training company plays a central role, because much of the practical experience and manual skill is built up by working alongside experienced journeymen.
The chart shows where in the country industrial and workshop buildings are located. Notice that many are outside the big cities — also in West and North Jutland. The apprenticeships are where the workshops are.
The journeyman's exam
Step 1 ends with a school exam, which the school holds in the last school period. Step 2 and the welder specialisation end with a journeyman's exam. How the exam is organised is set out in the training regulations.
Step 2: structural blacksmith, stainless steel, maritime and energy technology
The school holds the journeyman's exam in consultation with the trade committee as part of the last school period. When the exam is passed, the trade committee issues a journeyman's certificate, and the grade is stated on it.
The welder specialisation
The exam for welders is built like a certification test:
- 01The exam is one welding task that you solve on your own
- 02You hand in welds in two processes
- 03You choose between welding in plate or pipe
- 04You have 22 clock hours to prepare the welds
- 05An independent institute tests the welds according to Danish Standards' special provisions for certification
- 06Both welds must meet the requirements of SBC 244
- 07The assessment is «Passed» or «Not passed»
The regulations put it clearly: «It is the institute's assessment alone that decides whether a journeyman's certificate can be issued». The objective for the specialisation reads: «The apprentice can plan and carry out complex welding tasks at certificate level in accordance with DS/EN ISO 9606-1».
Career paths after the journeyman certificate
With a journeyman's certificate in hand the metal fabricator can choose many directions: continue as a production welder or custom metal worker in a company further specialise through welder certifications seek the maritime or offshore industry become self-employed or later study to e.g. welding engineer production technologist or designer. The trade in other words holds a broad range of paths forward from hand work to technical management.