Welding Diploma Program
NOW OFFERING: EVENING CLASSES Monday-Thursday 5:30-10:30PM
100% of the program is on-campus - HS diploma not required to enter the program.
All Welding students will be able to receive their diploma and test for one of the following to earn a Certified Welding Inspection (CWI) report with the American Welding Society (AWS).
1. Any Welding process using Stick, Flux Core, MIG, or TIG on mild steel material up to 3/8”
2. The standard testing fee is $228, which will be paid for by the college
3. Testing will be completed one-week prior to the student’s graduation date (end of their program).
4. Students have the option of joining the American Welding Society (AWS) for $50.
We are the only school in the area that offers a free test as a Certified Welding Inspection (CWI).
Our graduates are adept in the various welding types, including gas, shielded metal arc (STICK), metal inert gas (MIG), flux core, and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding. You not only learn welding but we teach you to read blueprints, weld symbols, thurmal cut and finished metal.
What Is a Welding?
- Interpreting and diagnosing blueprints prior to construction.
- Sourcing appropriate materials to progress a project.
- Measuring and cutting metallic materials to spec.
- Joining individual parts to construct a specific design.
- Ensuring safety protocols are met and delivering high-quality products.
If you like problem solving and working with your hands, while also enjoying a growing career field, welding may be the perfect career option for you.
What Career Options Are Available in Welding?
- Construction Sites
- Ship Yards
- Automotive Manufacturing
- Aviation Manufacturing
- Garages
- Engineering Firms
- And many more!
What You Will Learn in a Welding Program
- Develop knowledge and skills relevant to the welding process.
- Study the essentials of welding theory.
- Grasp SMAW and GTAW specifications.
- Learn the steps for thermal cutting, material crafting and related skills of the trade.
- Gain competency in pipe welds.
Why Choose Our College?
- Making student success our #1 priority.
- Designing courses that develop critical skill sets and expanding our student’s knowledge base for a life-time career.
- Ensuring that the skills businesses need are the skills we teach.
- Offering affordable programs that typically take less time to complete and have smaller class sizes than those of other schools.
- Offering on-campus, hybrid, and completely online diploma and degree programs that provide more flexibility to fit your life-style.
- Having the best career services team that has done the networking for you with numerous local employers and are here to help.
All of us here at Rockford Career College are here to help you succeed, whether it’s our free tutoring, helpful financial aid options, or connecting you with businesses for that great job. We may have changed names and locations over the years, but our goal remains the same: To prepare you for quick entry into the workforce.
Financial Aid available to those who qualify.
Program Length - 10 Months
100% of the program is on campus.
Find Out More
After you complete the Welding Diploma Program, you could continue with our online, 7-month Construction Management Associate Degree completion program. That's only 17 months total to get an associate degree.
*The American Welding Society says the average age of a welder is 57, and by 2020 the AWS estimates there will be a 290,000 job deficit in the industry. There are more welders retiring each year than new welders coming into the industry.
https://www.industryweek.com/talent/article/22027897/creating-a-national-workforce-of-trained-welders (retrieved 5/4/2021)