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Advanced Manufacturing Welding

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Program Overview

The Advanced Manufacturing Welding program prepares you for a variety of welding careers. Coursework is aligned with the American Welding Society's SENSE standards. You will learn various welding techniques, including:

  • Gas metal arc welding
  • Thermal cutting
  • Shielded metal arc welding
  • Flux cored arc welding
  • Gas tungsten arc welding

You will also gain the knowledge and skills in:

  • Blueprint reading
  • Metal types and the welding applications to use with them
  • Metal cutting and fabrication
  • Welding positions
  • Pipe welding
  • Weld inspection and testing
  • Robotic welding

The program offers three levels of welding skills and techniques.

  • The one-semester Welding certificate prepares you with the skills needed for general maintenance or production welding.

  • The two-semester Intermediate Manufacturing Welding diploma prepares you with the skills needed for custom fabrication and construction welding.

  • The three-semester Advanced Manufacturing Welding diploma prepares you with the skills needed in food production maintenance and high-end custom fabrication.

Hands-On Learning Opportunities

  • Welding Lab: Use the latest welding equipment in the industry as you learn and perfect your welding skills on various type of metals.

  • Virtual Welder: Become comfortable with various types of welds while learning how to reduce costs and improving your efficiency in a safe, controlled environment.

  • Robotic Welder: Learn how to program and use robots to weld in modern manufacturing.

Certification

An independent certification laboratory evaluates your performance for possible certification with the American Welding Society.

At A Glance
Awards
  • Certificate
  • Diploma
Length of Study 4 months – 1 year
Program Start Fall, Spring
Tuition-Free Eligible

This program qualifies for the Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship and will pay up to 100% of your tuition.

Students must apply for, be awarded, and meet the ongoing eligibility requirements for the Last-Dollar Scholarship.
 

Faculty Spotlight

Jeff Jantzen

“As a 1992 graduate, I am very proud of all I have accomplished and built with the education I have received from Hawkeye."

Video Overview

Robotic and Virtual Welding Training at Hawkeye Community College

The virtual welder at Hawkeye helps students learn welding techniques without wasting materials and helps them become more proficient welders. The robotic welder offers students a taste of what many of the manufacturing companies are doing to help them prepare for future employment. Check out the Virtual and Robotic Welding video to learn more!

See More Video

Program Pathways

Welding Certificate

Program Details

Award Certificate
Credits 20
Program Start Fall, Spring
Number of Terms 1
Time to Complete 4 months
Course Format Face-to-Face
Admissions Application Select Academic Program:
Welding – Certificate
See Program Admission

Suggested Sequence of Study and Cost

Program Courses

Term 1
  • Applied Math
  • Gas Metal Arc Welding Spray Transfer: SENSE1
  • GMAW Developmental I
  • Introduction to Welding, Safety, and Health of Welders: SENSE1
  • Print Reading and Welding Symbol Interpretation: SENSE1
  • Shielded Metal Arc Welding I: SENSE1
  • SMAW Developmental I
  • Thermal Cutting Processes I - Manual and Mechanized OxyFuel Cutting: SENSE1
  • Thermal Cutting Processes II - Plasma and Carbon Steel Arc: SENSE1

Next step: Continue to term 2 of either of the Intermediate Manufacturing Welding diploma options or graduate and enter the workforce.

Intermediate Manufacturing Welding: GTAW, Carbon Steel, Aluminum and Stainless Steel Diploma

Program Details

Award Diploma
Credits 28
Program Start Spring
Number of Terms 2
Time to Complete 7 months
Course Format Face-to-Face
Admissions Application Select Academic Program:
Welding – Diploma (Intermediate Manufacturing: GTAW, Carbon Steel, Aluminum and Stainless Steel)
See Program Admission

Suggested Sequence of Study and Cost

Program Courses

Term 1 — Spring
  • Applied Math
  • Gas Metal Arc Welding Spray Transfer: SENSE1
  • GMAW Developmental I
  • Introduction to Welding, Safety, and Health of Welders: SENSE1
  • Print Reading and Welding Symbol Interpretation: SENSE1
  • Shielded Metal Arc Welding I: SENSE1
  • SMAW Developmental I
  • Thermal Cutting Processes I - Manual and Mechanized OxyFuel Cutting: SENSE1
  • Thermal Cutting Processes II - Plasma and Carbon Steel Arc: SENSE1
Term 2 — Summer
  • Gas Tungsten Arc Welding for Aluminum: SENSE1
  • Gas Tungsten Arc Welding for Austenitic Stainless Steel: SENSE1
  • Gas Tungsten Arc Welding for Carbon Steel
  • Gas Tungsten Arc Welding: Developmental

See the Suggested Sequence of Study for the full list of courses, cost, and additional course details.

Next step: Continue to term 2 of Advanced Manufacturing Welding diploma option or graduate and enter the workforce.

Intermediate Manufacturing Welding: GMAW, SMAW, FCAW, and Robotics Diploma

Program Details

Award Diploma
Credits 36
Program Start Fall
Number of Terms 2
Time to Complete 9 months
Course Format Face-to-Face
Admissions Application Select Academic Program:
Welding – Diploma (Intermediate Manufacturing: GMAW, SMAW, FCAW, and Robotics)
See Program Admission

Suggested Sequence of Study and Cost

Program Courses

Term 1 — Fall
  • Applied Math
  • Gas Metal Arc Welding Spray Transfer: SENSE1
  • GMAW Developmental I
  • Introduction to Welding, Safety, and Health of Welders: SENSE1
  • Print Reading and Welding Symbol Interpretation: SENSE1
  • Shielded Metal Arc Welding I: SENSE1
  • SMAW Developmental I
  • Thermal Cutting Processes I - Manual and Mechanized OxyFuel Cutting: SENSE1
  • Thermal Cutting Processes II - Plasma and Carbon Steel Arc: SENSE1
Term 2 — Spring
  • Flux Cored Arc Welding (Gas-Shielded): SENSE1
  • Flux Cored Arc Welding (Self-Shielded): SENSE1
  • Gas Metal Arc Welding Short Circuit Transfer: SENSE1
  • GMAW Developmental II
  • Robotic Welding
  • Shielded Metal Arc Welding II: SENSE1
  • SMAW Developmental II

See the Suggested Sequence of Study for the full list of courses, cost, and additional course details.

Next step: Continue to term 3 of the Advanced Manufacturing Welding diploma option or graduate and enter the workforce.

Advanced Manufacturing Welding Diploma

Program Details

Award Diploma
Credits 44
Program Start Fall, Spring
Number of Terms 3
Time to Complete 1 year
Course Format Face-to-Face
Admissions Application Select Academic Program:
Welding – Diploma (Advanced Manufacturing)
See Program Admission

Suggested Sequence of Study and Cost

Program Courses

Term 1
  • Applied Math
  • Gas Metal Arc Welding Spray Transfer: SENSE1
  • GMAW Developmental I
  • Introduction to Welding, Safety, and Health of Welders: SENSE1
  • Print Reading and Welding Symbol Interpretation: SENSE1
  • Shielded Metal Arc Welding I: SENSE1
  • SMAW Developmental I
  • Thermal Cutting Processes I - Manual and Mechanized OxyFuel Cutting: SENSE1
  • Thermal Cutting Processes II - Plasma and Carbon Steel Arc: SENSE1
Term 2
  • Flux Cored Arc Welding (Gas-Shielded): SENSE1
  • Flux Cored Arc Welding (Self-Shielded): SENSE1
  • Gas Metal Arc Welding Short Circuit Transfer: SENSE1
  • GMAW Developmental II
  • Robotic Welding
  • Shielded Metal Arc Welding II: SENSE1
  • SMAW Developmental II
Term 3 — Summer
  • Gas Tungsten Arc Welding for Aluminum: SENSE1
  • Gas Tungsten Arc Welding for Austenitic Stainless Steel: SENSE1
  • Gas Tungsten Arc Welding for Carbon Steel
  • Gas Tungsten Arc Welding: Developmental

See the Suggested Sequence of Study for the full list of courses, cost, and additional course details.

You have completed the Advanced Manufacturing Welding diploma program. Check out the Trade and Industry continuing education courses to keep up to date in your profession.

Careers

Positions

Graduates find jobs as maintenance, production, manufacturing, construction, custom fabrication, or job shop welders. With advanced skill, graduates may find employment as pipe welders or iron workers.

Example Careers and Average Wages
Entry Average Experienced
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers $39,010 $48,520 $56,160
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders $39,890 $49,800 $53,910

Source: 2023 Iowa Wage Report, Iowa Workforce Development — Statewide Wages

Many graduates in this field work overtime. Overtime wages are not included in the above average wages.

Employers

The following is a partial list of employers who have hired graduates from this program:
Business Location
ADA Enterprises, Inc. Northwood, IA
Baumgartner Gate Factory Manchester, IA
GMT Corporation Waverly, IA
Iowa Laser Technology Cedar Falls, IA
John Deere Waterloo and Ottumwa, IA

Program Admission

Step #1: Apply at Hawkeye

  1. Apply for admission at Hawkeye.

  2. Send official transcripts to Admissions.

Step #2: Program Admittance Score Requirement

In order to be eligible for the Advanced Manufacturing Welding program, all students must meet minimum score requirements in math. For appropriate college success course placement, work with your program advisor.

Minimum score requirements
ALEKS ACCUPLACER Next Generation ACCUPLACER Classic COMPASS ACT GPA
Math 6 240 Arithmetic
241 Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics (QAS)		 40 Arithmetic 24 Pre-Algebra 14 2.00

The ALEKS Placement Assessment can be taken online. ACCUPLACER Next Generation and ACT can be taken at Hawkeye. ACCUPLACER Classic and COMPASS are no longer offered, but if you've taken either in the past your test scores can be used for program admittance.

Step #3: Program Acceptance

Applicants successfully demonstrating college readiness criteria are eligible for acceptance.

Applicants falling short of successful demonstration of college readiness criteria will be accepted to a Pre-Program. As a pre-program student, you will begin with general education and prerequisite classes. An advisor will help you create an academic plan to meet your program admission requirements. Once you have completed your pre-program coursework contact Admissions.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Program Contacts
Admissions
Email Admissions 319-296-4000 Hawkeye Center 114
Academic/College Success Advisor
Natasha Ceaser Email Natasha Ceaser 319-296-4014 ext.1062 Bremer Hall 136C
Faculty Advisor
Last Names A – M
 Jeff Jantzen Email Jeff Jantzen 319-296-2329 ext.1432 Buchanan Hall 155B
Faculty Advisor
Last Names N – Z
 Patrick Hollaway Email Patrick Hollaway 319-296-2329 ext.1398 Buchanan Hall 155A

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