Welding Technology

What type of job can I get?

Welder

Job outlook & wages

Median Wage in Montana:  $36,040

Median Wage in US:  $35,450

Expected Growth in Montana:  14.1%

Expected Growth in US:  -1.6%

Degrees

Certificate of Applied Science – Welding Technology

Associate of Applied Science – Welding Technology

What you’ll learn

The primary goal in the first year of the Welding Technology program is to give students the skills and instruction they need to enter the welding industry.  With an emphasis on safety, students will receive hands-on, theoretical, and technical training in rigging, job estimation, blueprint reading, and layout and pattern making.  In addition, students will receive extensive lab training in a wide variety of welding processes including S.M.A.W. (stick electrode), G.M.A.W. (wire processes), Pulse M.I.G., T.I.G., and plasma cutting.  The focus of the training is to give the students the skills necessary to successfully pass American Welding Society (A.W.S.) certifications.  Students will also receive introductory instruction in design and fabrication, thus allowing them to perform repairs and fabricate projects.

The second year of the Welding Technology program is designed to teach students how to use their skills performing advanced fabrication and repair work on actual projects.  Students will learn advanced fabrication techniques using a variety of equipment including shears, bending breaks, forming rolls, punches, drill presses, and track torches.  This may include anything from a simple welding repair to re-facing a D-9 Cat blade.  Students will also receive training in various methods of pipe welding with an opportunity to take the A.W.S. certification test.  Second year students will be given instruction in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) burn table programming and operation using Auto-CAD and Shop Data Systems software.  Entry into second year is by application only.

Program cost

$9,954 - $10,083

Potential employers

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Instructors

Tim Harris

Seth Slocum