If you want a career in a skilled trade that allows you to create things with your hands, our welding and fabrication program could be a good choice for you. In this program, you’ll gain skills in many types of welding techniques, including shielded metal-arc welding, oxy-acetylene welding, MIG and TIG welding. You’ll also learn how to read blueprints and layout, cut and prepare materials for assembly. Your training will include hands-on practice with overhead cranes, grinders, power saws, ironworker tools, cold saws, drill presses and other equipment found in welding and fabrication shops. Whether you want to work on construction sites, in a manufacturing plant, for a utility company or in a fabrication shop, this program prepares you for many excellent opportunities in the welding trade. Choose between the evening or daytime program to incorporate earning this certificate into your daily life. This is a three-quarter, competency-based program. The competency-based model allows you to advance through the program at your own pace. For example, if you complete first quarter competencies before the end of the quarter, you will automatically advance to second-quarter material. Welding is one of the most common and dependable methods of joining materials together. Fabrication is the process of blueprint reading, layout, cutting and preparing materials for assembly. The competency-based Welding and Fabrication program trains the student in the safe and correct procedures used in shielded metal-arc welding, oxy-acetylene welding, MIG and TIG welding, and air arc and plasma cutting. Course content also includes the safe use and care of hand and power equipment found in welding and fabrication shops. Some of the equipment includes overhead cranes, grinders, power saws, ironworker, cold saws and drill presses. The student will be prepared for entry into many trade and industry opportunities, including construction, aerospace, automotive, heavy equipment, machinist, ship building and agriculture. This is only a small cross-section of job opportunities available to the student who successfully completes the program. Students must complete a minimum of 57 credits through coursework or prior learning experience in order to graduate.