Welding School Training Programs

Welding school is idea for people who love work using both their hands and their minds. Are you one of them?

Welding Trade Schools

If you enjoy working with tools and like the idea of creating strong structures, then perhaps a career in welding would be a good fit. Welding is used to permanently join metal parts using heat applied to metal pieces, melting and fusing them to form a permanent bond. Welding is used in shipbuilding, automobile manufacturing and repair, aerospace applications, and many other manufacturing activities. Welding also is used to join beams for buildings and bridges construction and in pipe joining, pipelines, power plants, and refineries and other industries.

Locate Welding Training Programs in your area

Selected Colleges with Welding Programs

Miller-Motte Schools

Lincoln College of Technology

Welding Education and Training

In welding school, students learn how to work from drawings and blueprints to analyze the parts that need to be joined. They are responsible for selecting and setting up welding equipment, executing the planned welds, and examining welds to ensure that they meet standards or specifications. Highly skilled welders are trained to work with many materials such as steel, titanium, aluminum, and plastics.

Training to become a welder takes 6 months to 2 years. Although some companies provide basic training, they prefer to hire welders with formal training. A welding course may include:

• Blueprint reading
• Shop mathematics
• Mechanical drawing
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Metallurgy
• Electricity

In addition, having computer skills is important for welding, soldering, and brazing machine operation, as you would be responsible for the programming of computer-controlled machines. After you graduate from welding college and as you become more skilled, and with additional training and experience you can aspire to become a welding technician, supervisor, inspector, or instructor.

Welding Careers

Welders work for construction companies, metal companies, salvage firms, boilermakers, and many industries that require the skills of certified welders. Welders work on various tasks that include various forms of welding, cutting, soldering, brazing and metallurgy. To be effective and precise, welders need good eyesight, hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity, and attention to detail. Welders are required to wear safety shoes, goggles, hoods with protective lenses, and other devices designed to prevent injuries. They must also work in well-ventilated areas. These skills are covered in welding school.

Expected Salary and Projected Career Growth

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that earnings in construction are higher than the average for all industries upon completion of welding school requirements and some experience. In 2004, production or non-supervisory workers in construction averaged $19.23 an hour ($736/week). However, the earnings vary according to level of education and experience, type of work, complexity of the construction project and geographic location.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, job opportunities are expected to be excellent in the construction industry due to the small number of fewer people with the right education or experience entering the skilled trades. In addition, almost every manufacturing industry uses welding at some stage of manufacturing or in the repair and maintenance of equipment so welders with credentials from accredited welding schools always remain in demand.