Welding Certificate

The welding program is a 30-credit hour training program in which students will cut, weld, and modify a design in as little as one year.  Students are taught blueprint reading, metallurgy, and basic CAD.  Students will be exposed to various methods of cutting metals.  Equipment such as plasma cutters, grinders, chop saws, tubing benders, and bandsaws are included in the program to introduce principals of fabrication.  Welders can advance to more skilled jobs with additional training and experience.

Program Outcomes

• Demonstrate professionalism (on time, positive attitude, respectful).
• Identify safety equipment.
• Demonstrate the necessary skills to work safely in the industrial setting.
• Practice team building and effective communication.
• Understand the technology utilized in modern distribution and processing industries.
• Demonstrate proper operation of 3D modeling equipment.
• Identify tools and equipment used in welding.
• Identify types of electrodes, types of welds, and welding positions.
• Understand the basics of metal fabrication.
• Understand how to weld using Stick, arc, MIG, and TIG.

Career Opportunities

Employers across the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia and along the I-81 corridor are seeking skilled welders with an understanding of fabrication, welding, and repair technicians.  Blue Ridge Community and Technical College can aid students who seek a career in welding.  Focusing solely on practical classes that range from oxyfuel welding and cutting, to tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, this one year program provides students with an efficient way of learning the fundamentals of welding.  Throughout the program, our expert instructors train students in the techniques and cutting-edge technologies embraced by the industry today.

The knowledge and skills gained may help you secure entry-level employment in the manufacturing, construction, or repair industries.  Opportunities exist to become supervisors, inspectors, and instructors.