Program Description
This two year competency based program leads to an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree in Welding Technology and provides training for skills and related technical knowledge necessary for advancement in the metals industry. Instruction includes classroom study as well as extensive practice in the welding lab. Peninsula College welding students are trained to the American Welding Society (AWS) and Washington Association of Building Officials (WABO) structural codes.
Program Length: 7 Quarters
Program Code: WETWTAPT
Career Opportunities and Earnings
Throughout Washington state there is an extremely high demand for welding technicians, with annual job openings for welders and fabricators and fitters. The advisory committee for this program emphasizes that someone with good welding skills is well prepared to compete for a living-wage welding job. The demand for welding technicians should remain strong over the next decade.
- Engineering technicians
- Fabricators
- Fitters
- Inspectors
- Plant maintenance personnel
- Sales and service representatives
- Supervisors
- Welders
For current employment and wage estimates, please visit and search for the relevant occupational term: bls.gov/oes.
Program Outcomes
When this program is completed, the student will be able to:
- Weld all types of joints
- Perform oxyacetylene cutting
- Perform shielded metal arc, gas metal arc, and gas tungsten arc welding
- Apply workplace safety guidelines
- Use and apply welding terminology
- Read basic blueprints
- Apply basic computational skills to practical applications
- Communicate in writing for a variety of purposes and audiences
- Work cooperatively and collaboratively with others
- Demonstrate competencies to succeed in the selected career pathway workplace
Special Features
- In-house certification prepares students to take AWS certification examinations
- In addition to the AAS and one-year certificate, this program offers short-term certificates in welding skills
- The instructors of the Welding Technology program are certified welding educators
- Peninsula College is an approved AWS test facility. Persons interested in taking AWS examination(s) should contact the program coordinator for information.
- Additional separate welding courses for persons not seeking the Welding Technology degree are available through this program, as is a preparatory course for the welding certification examination
Program Prerequisites
College-level skills in English and math (eligibility for courses numbered 100 or higher) are recommended before registering for the English and applied math courses required in this program. Students may need to complete prerequisite coursework. The placement test will help determine placement level if not known. Previous coursework may also indicate placement level.
Approximate Additional Costs
- Books, supplies and miscellaneous fees (per quarter): $250
- Tools/Equipment: $1,000
- AWS Certification Exam (optional) (per quarter): $225 (Students may take up to three certification exams per quarter.)
Sample Schedule
This sample schedule is provided as a guide for a full-time student starting in fall quarter whose goal is to earn the AAS. The typical student schedule is based on entering the program during the fall quarter, however some programs allow students to enter in the winter or spring as well. Since not all do, please confirm with an advisor whether this program must be started during a specific quarter or not.
First Quarter (Fall)
Survey of workplace skills, including communication, team building, problem solving, and leadership. Emphasis on concepts of perception, attitude, motivation, and ethics.
Credits: 3
First quarter of three-quarter series to produce trade welders qualified to enter the job market. Introduction to American Welding Standards (AWS) in shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), oxy-acetylene flame cutting, welding symbols, joint design, and welding terminology. Learn to lay out, cut, prepare, fit- up, and weld together metal to repair parts and fabricate projects using SMAW. This class may include students from multiple sections.
This class has a $200 welding lab supplies course fee.
Credits: 15
Second Quarter (Winter)
Active reading, effective writing, and critical thinking, using subjective and objective approaches. Introduction to research techniques. This class may include students from multiple sections. (Communication Skills)
Credits: 5
Continuation of WELD 110. Includes the shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) process, electrodes, oxy-acetylene flame cutting, introduction to plasma and carbon arc cutting, gouging, and the fundamentals of metallurgy. Learn to layout, cut, prepare, fit-up, and weld together metal to repair parts and fabricate projects using SMAW. This class may include students from multiple sections.
This class has a $200 welding lab supplies course fee.
Credits: 15
Third Quarter (Spring)
Continuation of WELD 110 and WELD 120. Includes preparation for American Welding Society (AWS SMAW) certification. Learn metallurgy and how to layout, cut, prepare, fit-up, and weld together metal to repair parts and fabricate projects. This class may include students from multiple sections.
This class has a $200 welding lab supplies course fee.
Credits: 15
Fourth Quarter (Summer)
Learn gas metal arch welding (GMAW) and gas tungsten arch welding (GTAW) in aluminum welding design, safety, metal preparation, welding codes and standards for aluminum welding and control of aluminum weld quality. Class emphasizes marine welding and prepares students for the American Welding Society (AWS D1.2) aluminum welding certification exam. This class may include students from multiple sections.
This class has a $200 welding lab supplies course fee and a $250 welding certification course fee.
Credits: 8
Fifth Quarter (Fall)
Class includes preparation for American Welding Society (AWS) certification and introduction to flux cored arch and gas metal arc welding process. Learn to layout, cut, prepare, fit-up, and weld together metal to repair parts and fabricate projects using the flux cored arch welding (FCAW) and gas metal arch welding (GMAW). This class may include students from multiple sections.
This class has a $200 welding lab supplies course fee.
Credits: 15
Sixth Quarter (Winter)
Continuation of welding program designed to increase skills in the gas tungsten arch welding (GTAW) process and provide preparation for the American Welding Society (AWS) certification. Learn to layout, cut, prepare, fit-up, and weld together metal to repair parts and fabricate projects in the GTAW process. This class may include students from multiple sections.
This class has a $200 welding lab supplies course fee.
Credits: 15
Seventh Quarter (Spring)
Continuation of welding program designed to increase skills and provide preparation for several welding processes including AWS Pipe Welding certification. Learn to layout, cut, prepare, fit-up, and weld together metal to repair parts and fabricate projects. This class may include students from multiple sections.
This class has a $200 welding lab supplies course fee.
Credits: 15
Your personal educational plan will vary based on many factors including:
- The quarter you begin
- How many classes/credits you plan to take in each quarter
- Your math and English placement; Learn more about placement options by visiting the Assessment and Placement website.
- If you start in our Transitional Studies program