Structural and Pipe Welding/ Fabrication

Program

This 900-hour, one-year certificate program provides a challenging, worthwhile curriculum based on industry/academic expectations. It offers students the opportunity to earn a series of American Welding Society Technical Certificates. Students develop the technical knowledge and trade skills to lay out, assemble, and fabricate metal projects. Instruction and assigned tasks to familiarize students with metallurgy, plasma arc cutting (PAC), shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), flux cored arc welding (FCAW), gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), and oxyacetylene welding (OAW) and cutting (OFC).

Students also learn the safe use of related hand and power tools, equipment and machines, and fastener systems. Students will demonstrate proficiency with orthographic projections, pattern-making, and parallel and radical line development. Applied math is taught throughout the program.

The pipe-fitting component of the program includes skill development in piping systems, drawing detail sheets, pipe template layout, identification and installation of fittings, valves, and flanges, and the identification and fabrication of threaded pipe.

Course Prerequisites: WorkKeys pretesting, copy of High School Diploma or GED

Program Competencies

Welders/Fabricators not only must know welding processes and be able to evaluate an effective weld, they must have strong attention to detail and administrative skills.

This program is designed to teach various welding skills and techniques, as well as prepare students for the other "soft skill" aspects of a job in this arena.

1. Demonstrate proficiency with: Metal Fabrication, OSHA, NDE, AWS D1.1, AWS D1.3, and AWS D1.6 Structural Welding.
   
   
2. Maintain safety, health, and environmental standards associated with each aspect listed above.
   
   
3. Process information using higher-order thinking skills and to engage in sound decision-making.
   
   
4. Perform routine, predictive, and preventative maintenance and service.

Potential Career and Salaries

The Welding/Fabrication program provides certification and skills for employment in a number of industries and positions. Below are a few of the jobs available and their average hourly pay:

* Based on job descriptions as tracked in Payscale.com. Hourly rates shown are median and top of range for Woodsfield, OH area based on five years' experience.