Two of our dedicated welding students, Cameron and Niamh, recently had the opportunity to represent NETA at the Inter-College Fabrication and Welding Competition, held at Derwentside College in County Durham.
Cameron, currently on a one-year welding course at NETA, shared his excitement and nerves heading into the event. "I was told we were going, and I’d never done anything like it before. It was a bit nerve-racking at first, but it turned out to be a great experience." Accompanied by their tutors, Dave and Terry, the students made the journey to the competition, where they were warmly welcomed and given a chance to mingle before heading into the welding bays.
The competition featured 14 to 15 participants from colleges across the region. The day began with a health and safety quiz that had10 questions that would serve as a tiebreaker if needed which was followed by a hands-on welding challenge that tested their precision, technique, and understanding of welding.
“We were given two tasks,” Cameron explained. “The first was a T-piece weld along a joint from corner to corner, with a stop and start in the middle. The second was a lap fillet weld using mild steel, 200mm x 50mm, 6mm thick, which is the same type we use in the bays at NETA, so it felt familiar.”
Judging was carried out by two industry professionals from a welding testing company, assessing all entries to the BS EN 4872 British Coding Standard which is the same standard used across the UK for certified welding practices. Scores were based on various criteria, including weld height and consistency, and all competitors received individual feedback.
Cameron proudly placed within the top six out of the group, which is a solid result for a first-year student. He said, “It was good to see how welds are tested in the real world. It’s going on my CV. I even got a certificate, which is great for future job applications.” Cameron has since applied for apprenticeships, hoping the competition experience and his training at NETA will give him an edge.
Cameron praised his tutors for their ongoing support. “Our assessors are always there to answer questions in the workshop, we’re never left alone, and there’s always someone to help.”
Niamh, who is due to complete her level 3 welding course and move onto an apprenticeship, echoed the positive experience. “It made me feel honoured to represent NETA. We competed in a MIG welding competition, completing a vertical lap joint and a down-hand fillet. It was tough, but we both placed in the top six out of 12, which felt amazing.” Niamh added, “I really enjoyed the welding course. It gave me a solid foundation and helped me transition into an apprenticeship. This competition showed us where we stand, and how far we can go.”
Reflecting further on her journey, Niamh shared: “When I started the level 3 course at NETA I was extremely nervous as I am not from the area. I settled in really quickly with the support of the tutors and their help in encouraging a friendly environment. The learning support from the tutors has also been outstanding. I started on a placement with PACS Marine Engineering thanks to NETA finding and offering me a chance and I have now been given the fantastic opportunity to move on to an apprenticeship with them too after I complete my level 3 course. This is an amazing next step in my development and future. I would like to thank NETA and especially Janice, Dave, Denise and Kyle for making this possible and for making my year at NETA so enjoyable. This is hopefully the start of a great career in welding, and I will always be grateful to these guys for giving me the best start at making it happen.”
But the good news doesn’t stop there, both Cameron and Niamh were also recently nominated at the prestigious TWI Welding Awards - a national celebration of welding excellence. Niamh took home the Best Welding Student of 2025 title, while Cameron was named runner up in the Best Practical Welding Student of 2025. Denise, programme area lead of apprenticeships at NETA attended the event and shared her pride in their achievements: “It was a great night. I am so happy for Niamh and Cameron and the other winners.”
The success of Cameron and Niamh is a testament not only to their hard work and determination but also to the quality training and guidance offered at NETA. We’re proud of their achievements and excited to see what’s next on their welding journey.
