BTW, Mark
I hope your mate has NZS 4711 in the work he is looking to do.
NZS 4711, pertains to the certification of welding work when done manually.
This is normally called upon when structural welding in Stick, MIG and (to a lesser degree) TIG welding occurs.
I sat 4711 back in 1993, it cost a lot of money, you can only sit it in different welding types and "positions"
I sat the exams in Stick welding in Vertical up-hand, down-hand, Overhead and rotary drum, Low Hydrogen, Hard Facing, Horizontal down-hand.
I also sat in MIG with up-hand, down-hand and Fissure welding.
I still hold 4711, it has cost me a LOT of money over the years to hold that certification.
