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:
- 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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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: 07955672487
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
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
Create A Free BESA Academy Account
Stay up-to-date with the latest BESA Academy news, enhance your skills, further your careerand remain fully-qualified and compliant.
Need Advice?
If you have any questions about any of our courses, please get in touch with the Academy team.