Welder resume template
A clean starting structure with example content grounded in what welders actually do day to day, not generic filler. Download and replace the bracketed placeholders with your own details.
Which resume format should you use?
Reverse chronological
You have a steady work history. This is the format almost every recruiter and ATS expects by default.
Functional
You're changing fields or have gaps in your employment. Leads with skills rather than a job-by-job timeline.
Combination
You're early career or have worked consistently but for only a few employers. Blends a skills summary with a shorter chronological history.
This template uses the reverse chronological format: the one most welders should default to, since most Australian recruiters and ATS software expect it.
Professional summary
Qualified welder with trade certification across MIG, TIG and arc processes, experienced in reading blueprints and fabricating to Australian structural standards. Comfortable working solo or as part of a site team on construction, manufacturing or maintenance projects. Focused on weld quality, safety compliance and getting jobs signed off first time.
Key skills
- MIG welding
- TIG welding
- Arc welding
- Reading plans and specifications
- Fabrication and finishing
- Building codes and standards (AS/NZS)
- Worksite safety management
- Angle grinder and hand tool work
- Blueprint reading
- Weld inspection and defect identification
Experience: example bullet points
- Operated MIG, TIG and arc welding equipment on structural steel and pipe joints across construction and manufacturing sites
- Read blueprints and technical drawings to plan welding sequences on multi-trade projects, reducing rework from misaligned joints
- Inspected finished welds for defects and structural integrity, flagging non-conforming work before handover to site supervisors
- Prepared metal surfaces by grinding, cutting and cleaning ahead of welding, keeping jobs on schedule during peak fabrication periods
- Maintained welding equipment and complied with site WHS protocols, contributing to an incident-free record across rostered shifts
Education
Certificate III in Engineering (Fabrication Trade) completed through a school-based or standard apprenticeship, typically 3-4 years combining TAFE study with on-the-job training under a licensed tradesperson.
Keywords an ATS is likely to scan for
Applicant tracking systems match your resume against terms in the job ad before a person ever sees it. Only include the ones that actually apply to your experience, but if a term below matches something you've done, use the same wording the job ad uses.
- Certificate III Welding
- AS/NZS 1554
- coded welder
- boilermaker
- structural steel fabrication
- pressure vessel welding licence
- white card
- WHS compliance
- MIG/TIG/arc welding
- non-destructive testing
- weld procedure specification
- site safety induction
Getting past ATS screening
- Match the specific skills, certifications and terms used in the job ad, not just your own wording for the same thing.
- Keep formatting simple: no tables, text boxes, columns, headers/footers or graphics. Parsers frequently drop content placed in these.
- Submit as .docx or PDF unless the job ad specifies otherwise.
- Use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) rather than creative alternatives.
- List your core skills and technical competencies in their own section so a keyword scan can find them instantly.
This is a starting point, not a guarantee of interviews. Tailor every bullet point to your own real experience and the specific job ad.