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Welding Technology/Welder

Program Overview

The Welding Technology/Welder 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 that build up to the two-year Welding Technology/Welder program.

  • 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.

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 $31,200 $39,900 $44,200
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders $33,700 $40,300 $43,600

Source: 2020 Iowa Wage Report, Iowa Workforce Development

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

Admissions Requirements

Step #1: Apply at Hawkeye

  1. Complete Hawkeye's online admissions application to apply and be considered for the Welding Technology/Welder program.

  2. Request to have your transcripts sent to the Admissions office.

Step #2: Basic Skill Competencies

In order to be eligible for the Welding program, all students must meet minimum score requirements and/or successfully complete the required college success courses in English, reading, and math with a "C" grade or higher at Hawkeye Community College or comparable courses at another accredited college. For appropriate college success course placement, work with your program advisor.

Minimum score requirements
ACT ACCUPLACER COMPASS ACCUPLACER Next Generation
16 Reading 58 Reading 69 Reading 239 Reading
16 English 64 Sentence Skills 41 Writing 240 Writing
14 Math 40 Arithmetic 24 Pre-Algebra 240 Arithmetic
241 Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics

Step #3: Program Acceptance

Applicants meeting the Basic Skill Competencies Requirements criteria are eligible for acceptance.

Applicants not meeting the Basic Skill Competencies Requirements 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

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