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Machining

Machining - AAS

Prepare for your career on your schedule with BTC’s newly updated flexible Machining program, where you’ll get hands-on learning with instructor-led shop time paired with interactive online content that you can complete at times that work for you.

Machinists drive our nation’s manufacturing, using technical expertise to cut metal, plastic, and other materials into precision parts that are critical to industry. Machinists set-up and run manual and computer numerical control (CNC) mills and lathes, then inspect their parts with precision measuring tools using blueprints with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T). In BTC’s two-year Machining program, you’ll learn the real-world skills needed to make and verify components used in aerospace, marine, automotive, food and beverage processing, petroleum, mold making, medical device, musical instrument, and heavy equipment industries.

Graduates of the Machining program are prepared to work as entry-level machinists, CNC operators, and CNC programmers. With experience, you can advance to journey-level machinist, advanced CNC programmer, metrology technician, or engineer.

Employment Information

Data are provided on a program (not credential) level

75% BTC graduate placement rate1

$60,276 starting annual wage2
$83,806 average annual wage2
$96,512 potential annual wage2

  • Employment and Wage Data Sources

    1Employment data come from the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) and reflect three-year averages among BTC students employed in either Washington or Oregon. Students are included in the employment rate if they left with a credential. Rates are not shown for programs with fewer than 10 students meeting the above criteria.

    2Whatcom County and WA State wage data come from Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates. Wage data represent occupations that BTC faculty have identified as the most relevant career paths for program graduates. Note that these wages reflect employees with varying educational levels/credentials. For cases in which multiple occupations have been identified by faculty, a weighted percentile is calculated using each occupation’s percentile wage and employment size estimate. Wages are not shown for programs for which occupations do not meet the ESD’s minimum thresholds for publishing. If the program has wage data that involves shift work, these ESD wages reflect the same number of hours used in the annual wage calculation. Starting wage = 25th percentile, median wage = 50th percentile, wage potential = 75th percentile.

  • Estimated Program Costs

Tuition Fees and Rates overview page

Entry Information

When Can I Start?

This program typically admits students once a year in the Fall quarter.

What are the Minimum Entry Requirements?

Admissions application and assessment testing in Reading, Math and Writing is required. Your score on the test and/or your previous transcripts will determine where you begin your course sequence. Contact Admissions at 360.752.8345 or at admissions@btc.edu for assistance with academic planning.

What are My Next Steps?

1. Apply to BTC and Financial Aid
2. Assess Your Starting Point
3. Advising & Registration
4. Prepare to Attend

 

Classes

Total Program Credits: 97

  • Current Students: Learn how to use this page to register for classes

  • Quarter 1

  • MACH 110Machining 1 Lab Extension2 CR
  • MACH 115Blueprint Reading 15 CR
  • MACH 181Manual Machining 15 CR
  • AMATH 100Applied Occupational Math5 CR
  • or higher

  • Quarter 2

  • MACH 112Machining 2 Lab Extension2 CR
  • MACH 116Blueprint Reading 25 CR
  • MACH 182Manual Machining 25 CR
  • AENGL 100Applied English5 CR
  • or higher

  • Quarter 3

  • ENGR 180Parametric Modeling5 CR
  • MACH 114Machining 3 Lab Extension4 CR
  • MACH 183Introduction to CNC Machining and Programming5 CR
  • CMST& 210Interpersonal Communications5 CR

  • Quarter 4

  • MACH 241Introduction to CNC Lathe Operation5 CR
  • MACH 251Introduction to CNC Mill Operation5 CR
  • MACH 261Introduction to CAD/CAM for Machining3 CR
  • QA 110Introduction to Quality Assurance for Machining3 CR

  • Quarter 5

  • MACH 242Advanced CNC Lathe Operation5 CR
  • MACH 252Advanced CNC Mill Operation5 CR
  • MACH 263Intermediate CAD/CAM for Machining3 CR
  • QA 115Intermediate Quality Assurance for Machining3 CR

  • Quarter 6

  • MACH 264Advanced CAD/CAM for Machining3 CR
  • MACH 274CNC Machining for Production6 CR
  • QA 120Advanced Quality Assurance for Machining3 CR

Program Outcomes

After successfully completing the AAS degree, students will be able to:

  • Operate machine shop equipment such as manual lathes, manual mills, and band saws.
  • Read and interpret blueprints per industry standards with an emphasis on GD&T.
  • Develop and execute a plan to create parts to print specifications.
  • Read, write, and edit G-code.
  • Create CNC programs using conversational programming.
  • Operate CNC mills and lathes while using a variety of machine controls.
  • Demonstrate competency in CAD and CAM software, with an emphasis on CAM programming to create complex toolpaths for both CNC mills and lathes.
  • Validate parts using measuring equipment like calipers, micrometers, bore gages, electronic height gages, and CMMs.

Employment Outlook

Employment of machinists is expected to increase and employment of CNC operators is expected to increase. About 82 percent of program graduates are employed within nine months of graduation. The average annual wage in this field is $59,155, with an earning potential of about $90,542 per year.*

Criminal convictions may restrict or prevent student participation with internships and employment in this industry.

Although most program graduates work as machinists, with experience, graduates can advance to positions such as journey level machinist, tool programmer, CNC operator/programmer, manager, engineer and machine and shop tools sales and service representative.

In addition, some graduates are self-employed. Around the country, most machinists work in small machining shops or in manufacturing firms that produce durable goods, such as metalworking and industrial machinery, aircraft, or motor vehicles.

Faculty & Support

Photo of Jacen Johnson
Jacen Johnson
Machining
  • Degrees and Credentials

    Certificate, Professional Technical Education, Washington State

    AAS, Precision Machining, Bellingham Technical College

Photo of Jeffrey Halfacre
Jeffrey Halfacre
Machining
  • Personal Bio
    Jeff has ten years experience as a machinist in a wide range of specialties, from aerospace to musical instrument manufacturing. Jeff started his machining career as a CNC operator for JAMCO America in Everett. After six years at JAMCO, Jeff came to BTC as a student and is a proud graduate of the Precision Machining program. After earning his degree Jeff worked as a programmer/operator for custom door manufacturer Northstar Woodworks in Ferndale, and as a set-up machinist for ProCNC in Bellingham. Jeff is currently a contract Mastercam programmer/prototyper/consultant for acoustic guitar parts supplier Pacific Rim Tonewoods in Concrete. Jeff started at BTC in July, 2014.
  • Degrees and Credentials

    AAS, Precision Machining, Bellingham Technical College

    Certificate, Professional Technical Education, Washington State

Contacts

If you have questions about this program or want help with the admissions steps to Bellingham Technical College, please email outreach@btc.edu.

Current students wanting academic planning and support, can connect with the program Instructor(s) or email AdvancedManufacturingNav@btc.edu