Welding

Career Outlook:

Earning Potential:

Median: $47,010/year

Job Growth:

2% (Steady)

Credentials:

OSHA 10-Hour
American Welding Society (AWS) - Certified Welder (SMAW)

Topics:

Introduction to welding technology and principles
Safety practices and procedures in welding
Welding tools and equipment operation and maintenance
Welding joints and welding symbols
Welding techniques and processes (e.g. MIG, TIG, stick)
Welding positions and positions for welding
Welding metals of different thicknesses and types
Blueprint reading and interpretation
Welding inspection and quality control
Career exploration and job readiness
And more!

Program Overview

The Welding program offered by Collins Career Technical Center's Trade and Industry Academy provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary to start a career as welder. The program focuses on teaching various welding techniques, safety procedures, blueprint reading, and basic metalworking. Students will have hands-on experience working with different types of welding equipment and tools to learn how to join and fabricate metal materials. Additionally, the program teaches students about welding inspection and quality control, as well as the fundamentals of metallurgy. Upon completion of the program, students will be prepared for an entry-level career in welding or further education in a related field.

What do Welders Do?

Read and interpret blueprints, sketches, and specifications
Calculate and measure the dimensions of parts to be welded
Inspect structures or materials to be welded
Weld materials according to blueprint specifications
Monitor the welding process and adjust heat as necessary
Maintain equipment and machinery

Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers use welding torches and other equipment to apply heat to metal pieces, melting and fusing them to form a permanent bond. Some workers specialize in welding; others perform all disciplines or a combination of them.

Welders join metals using a variety of techniques and processes. For example, in arc welding they use machinery that produces electrical currents to create heat and bond metals together. Welders usually choose a welding process based on a number of factors, such as the types of metals being joined.

Cutters use heat from an electric arc, a stream of ionized gas called plasma, or burning gases to cut and trim metal objects to specific dimensions. They also dismantle large objects, such as ships, railroad cars, and buildings.

Solderers and brazers use equipment to heat molten metal and join two or more metal objects. Soldering and brazing are similar, except that the temperature used to melt the filler metal is lower in soldering. Solderers commonly work with small pieces that must be positioned precisely, such as to make computer chips. Brazers connect dissimilar metals through the application of a filler material, which creates strong joints in products created with multiple metals; they also may apply coatings to parts in order to reduce wear and protect against corrosion.