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Welding Centres

BESA Approved Welding Test Centres

Our approved Welding Test Centres across the country deliver a quality assurance system to ensure a consistent and safe approach to administering the pipe welding test, moderating test centres across the UK against TR5 the Code of Good Practice: Welding of Carbon Steel Pipework.

Each test centre is required to undergo an external moderation process to gain ‘approved’ centre status. Test centres that achieve ‘approved’ status are fully conversant with the TR5 Code of Good Practice, allowing the safe practical testing of the following welding disciplines:

Industrial worker cutting and welding metal with many sharp sparks
  • Oxy-Acetylene
  • Metal-Arc
  • TIG/TAG
  • MIG/MAG

Approved test centres can help successful candidates obtain a SKILLcard, a card issuing and personnel registration scheme affiliated to the pan-industry Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS), supplying test mark sheets in support of their application. 

SKILLcard

Experienced workers who successfully complete their welding course are eligible to apply for a SKILLcard, valid for three years. Successful candidates can apply to SKILLcard direct or through their approved BESCA test centre, who will supply test mark sheets in support of their SKILLcard application. 

You can obtain two types of welding competency:

Provisional certification

For apprentices – Q&A with C&G/SQA, valid for one year under supervision of a qualified welder.

Full certification

For welders over the age of 20 years with at least six months site welding experience, valid for three years.

Upon receipt of the relevant test mark sheets, SKILLcard will forward an application form for welding competency together with an invoice to the candidate or designated employer.

Ready To Book?

Select your region from the list below to find your BESA approved welding centre, use the contact details provided to book your course.

SOUTH EAST

Southampton College

St Mary Street
Southampton
SO14 1AR

Main contact: Matt Hollis
Welding process: MMA, O/A

Approved examiners: Matt Hollis

For more information or to book call: 02380 577281

 

Croyden College

College Rd
London
CR9 1DX

Main contact: Garry Lockwood
Welding process: MMA, O/A, MIG, TIG

Approved examiners: 
Garry Lockwood 
MMA, O/A
David Lewin  
MMA, O/A, MIG, TIG

For more information or to book call: 0208 686 5700

 

T Clarke Prefabrication Facility

Unit 2 Mead Way
Vision Industrial Estate
Great Hallingbury
Bishops Stortford
CM22 7FD

Main contact: Richard Exell and Simon Baker

Welding process: MMA, O/A, MIG, TIG

Approved Examiners: John Crosby and Carl Smith

For more information or to book call: 07506016805

 

Fitzgerald Welding Solutions Limited

Unit 3 Enterprise Centre
Tyler Street
Harwich
Essex
CO12 4PH

Main contact: Steve Fitzgerald

Welding process: MMA / O/A / MIG / TIG

For more information or to book call: 01255 552900

SOUTH WEST

L P Welding and Pipe Services

Unit 22
Chase Lane
Eastern Avenue
Gloucester
GL4 6PH

Main contact and approved examiner: Lee Pressey

Welding process: MMA, O/A

For more information or to book call: 07966 020471

NORTH EAST

Stockton Street
Hartlepool
TS24 7NT

Main contact: Keith Hopps
Welding process: MMA, O/A

Approved examiners: Keith Hopps and Martin Higgins
MMA, O/A

For more information or to book call: 01429 404101

LONDON

RWD Weld Testing Services Ltd

5 Greenstone Mews
Wanstead
London
E11 2RS

Main contact: Robert Dowsett

Welding process: MMA / O/A / MIG / TIG

For more information or to book call: 07973704693

EAST MIDLANDS

Materials Engineering Group

Unit 18, Sawley Park
Nottingham Road
Derby
DE21 6AS

Main contact: Jeanette Reid

Welding process: MMA / O/A / TIG

For more information or to book call: 01332 370772 / 01332 370780

 

Nottingham College

Stoney St
Nottingham
NG1 1NG

Main contact: Alando Bryan

Welding process: MMA / O/A

For more information or to book call: 0115 884 2864

WEST MIDLANDS

Stoke On Trent College

Stoke Rd
Hanley
Stoke-on-Trent
ST4 2DG

Main contact: Helen Brennan

Approved examiner: Roy Stubbs

For more information or to book call: 01782 603166

NORTH WEST

Salford City College

Dronfield Rd
Salford
M6 7FR

Main contact: Greg Derbyshire

Approved examiners: Graham Gibson and David Jackson

For more information or to book call: 0161 631 5476.

SCOTLAND

Edinburgh College

Bankhead Ave
Edinburgh
EH11 4DE

Main contact: Paul Gilbertson

Approved examiners: Terry Healy and Paul Gilbertson
Welding process: MMA / O/A / MIG / TIG

For more information or to book call: 0131 344 7517 or 0131 344 7538

 

Glasgow Kelvin College

123 Flemington St
Glasgow
G21 4TD

Main contact: Jill Montgomery

Approved examiners: William Malloy and Stuart Barnett

For more information or to book call: 0141 630 5000

YORKSHIRE

Leeds College of Building

South Bank Campus off
Cudbear St
Crown Point Rd
Leeds
LS10 1EF

Main contact: Paul Guise

Approved examiners: Tony Hall and Paul Guise

Welding process: MMA / O/A / MIG / TIG

For more information or to book call: 0113 222 6035

Need Advice?

If you have any questions about any of our courses, please get in touch with the Academy team.

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