From apprentice to industry leader

Monos' Lee Oakley was recently honoured with the prestigious Weld Australia Mick Cudmore Award at the WA Welding Excellence Awards, in recognition of his outstanding and long‑standing contribution to the welding industry.

Lee’s career began in 1995, when he entered the trade at just 16 years old.

“I never planned on getting into welding and engineering. I just knew I wanted to work with my hands after learning practical skills from my dad, who spent many years in the Ministry of Defence Naval Dockyard. That decision changed the course of my life,” Lee said.

What started as a City and Guilds apprenticeship in welding and fabrication has evolved into a global career spanning more than three decades. Over that time, Lee has worked across onshore and offshore oil and gas, mining, wind energy, aerospace, marine, motorsport, chemical, pipeline and power-generation sectors. His roles have ranged from company NDT Level 3 – the highest level of expertise in non-destructive testing – to welding supervision, in‑service inspection, and project, business, and welding engineering management.

His qualifications reflect the depth of his expertise, progressing from Certificate III and IV in Engineering Fabrication through to university studies, postgraduate IIW International Welding Engineer accreditation, a Master of Science in Welding Engineering, and Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.

“I’ve been fortunate to work on hundreds of sites around the world. Every project teaches you something new,” Lee said.

Beyond his technical capability, Lee is deeply committed to advancing the industry. He has overseen thousands of complex PQRs, conducted extensive failure analysis work, tested more than 3,000 welders, and trained hundreds of graduate engineers and apprentices. He also served on the Weld Australia committee for more than five years, including four as State Chairman.

“Supporting the next generation is one of the most rewarding parts of my career. If we don’t invest in people, we don’t grow as an industry,” he said.

After studying engineering and welding in Germany and the UK, Lee moved to Australia in 2007. He joined Monadelphous in 2014 and is approaching his 12‑year anniversary with the business. Now Welding Engineering Manager, he thrives on the pace, complexity and diversity of the work.

“What I love about Monadelphous is the constant stream of diverse projects. There’s always a new challenge, and that keeps you sharp,” he said.

The WA Welding Excellence Awards celebrate leadership, innovation and technical excellence across Western Australia’s fabrication and manufacturing sectors. Lee’s recognition is a testament not only to his technical mastery, but to his unwavering commitment to lifting standards and strengthening the welding profession.