In steel construction, the shortage of experienced welders has shifted from a recruitment question to a training question. In Peräseinäjoki this became visible when applicants could be found, but only a small number could move from testing to actual production work.

At Nordec, the work itself becomes the learning environment. New employees are hired first and trained in the production environment. From the beginning this means working under guidance in workshop conditions, not simulated exercises. Qualification marks the transition from training to independent production duties.

The training combines basic theory with daily workshop tasks. Materials, welding methods and drawings are learned alongside documentation, traceability and the standards required in certified steel structures. Because the same tasks continue after training, expectations stay clear and the move to independent work is gradual.

Progress happens step by step. Work starts with repetition and control of technique. As confidence grows, responsibility increases and the welder learns not only how a joint is made but why requirements exist and how the work affects the structure as a whole. Guidance from experienced colleagues is part of everyday work and learning continues after the initial training period.

After qualification, employees remain in similar roles with increasing independence and may broaden their tasks as experience develops. Competence grows through production work, making skills transferable and production capability more predictable even when labour market supply is limited. The approach has also been described in an industry article in Hitsaustekniikkalehti by our Production Manager Janne Kivelä.