Welding and Fabricating Technology

Welding and Fabricating Technology - AAS

Any industry that creates goods and structures from metal will rely on skilled welders to create strong products, whether in aerospace, automotive, or construction fields. Turning ideas and materials into valuable products takes highly skilled employees who are trained in such specialized areas as welding technology. BTC’s degrees and certificates in the Welding Technology Program are ideal for students with mechanical aptitude or a strong foundation in math, science, and technology.

Prepare for your welding career through BTC’s Welding Technology Program. You will get premier job training for skills in high demand by the metal and construction trades for work as a welder, cutter, or welding machine operator. Students choose to specialize in one of two areas: structural steel fabrication or pipe welding.

In our state-of-the-art welding and fabrication facility, you’ll learn valuable skills that high-wage employers are looking for. From safety practices and blueprint reading to technical skills like metallurgy, MIG, and TIG welding, BTC’s hands-on job training will prepare you for a career in boat manufacturing, steel manufacturing, refining, and transportation, or with federal, state, or local governments.

Student Chapter of the American Welding Society (AWS)

Employment Information

Data are provided on a program (not credential) level

94% BTC graduate placement rate1

$51,971 starting annual wage2
$66,970 average annual wage2
$86,396 potential annual wage2

  • Employment and Wage Data Sources

    1Employment data come from the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) and reflect WA/OR employment for students enrolled at BTC between 2017-18 and 2019-20. 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) 2021 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates and reflect 2018-21 employment. 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 from the Washington SBCTC 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 starts in 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.

Early Program Course Requirements

It is highly recommended that students take these courses prior to program entry:

  • CMST& 210 Interpersonal Communications
  • AENGL 100 Applied English
  • AMATH 100 Applied Occupational Math

What are My Next Steps?

Classes

Total Program Credits: 98

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

  • General Education Core Courses

  • AMATH 100Applied Occupational Math5 CR
  • AENGL 100Applied English5 CR
  • CMST& 210Interpersonal Communications5 CR

  • TOTAL General Education Course Credits
    15 CR
  • Core Courses for Program

  • WLD 101Welding Safety2 CR
  • WLD 105Thermal Cutting Processes4 CR
  • WLD 106Print Reading I2 CR
  • WLD 110SMAW I4 CR
  • WLD 116SMAW Practice2 CR
  • WLD 120GMAW I4 CR
  • WLD 121GMAW Aluminum I4 CR
  • WLD 130FCAW I4 CR
  • WLD 131FCAW Practice2 CR
  • WLD 140GTAW I4 CR
  • WLD 141GTAW Aluminum I4 CR
  • WLD 150Introduction to Metal Fabricating4 CR

  • TOTAL Core Course Credits
    40 CR
  • Program Specialty

  • WLD 206Print Reading II - Welding & Fabrication3 CR
  • WLD 213Print Reading III3 CR
  • WLD 220SMAW Test Practice II4 CR
  • WLD 232FCAW Practices II4 CR
  • WLD 242GTAW & GMAW Alloy6 CR
  • WLD 252Alloy Fabrication6 CR
  • WLD 254Steel Fabrication5 CR
  • WLD 271Welder Testing6 CR

  • TOTAL Specialty Course Credits
    37 CR
  • Electives

  • WLD 291Capstone Project I3 CR
  • WLD 292Capstone Project II3 CR
  • WLD 293Welding Internship I3 CR
  • WLD 294Welding Internship II6 CR

  • TOTAL Elective Course Credits
    6 CR
  • View past class requirements for this program.

Program Outcomes

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

  • Exhibit & maintain essential employability behaviors.
  • Observe and practice industry safety guidelines.
  • Analyze and interpret prints, drawings, and symbols for welding and fabrication of parts and structures.
  • Achieve competency in a variety of major manual and semi-automatic welding processes in all positions.
  • Demonstrate proper set-up and use of welding and fabricating equipment.
  • Troubleshoot and solve basic welding, fabricating and equipment problems.
  • Pass at least one WABO certification or industry-accepted certification welding test (ASME, AWS, ABS, etc.).
  • Exhibit knowledge of occupational environments, metallurgy, materials, tools, fabrication, layout, and mechanical and thermal cutting processes and techniques.
  • Demonstrate appropriate oral and written communication with customers, co-workers, and supervisors.
  • Analyze and interpret prints and drawings for welding and fabricating.
  • Employ efficient organizational skills.
  • Stay current with new and emerging technologies.

Employment Outlook

Employment opportunities for welders are expected to increase. Employment opportunities for welders, cutters, and welding machine operators differ by occupational specialty. But up-to-date job training will lead to good employment opportunities, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

About 79% of BTC students in the Welding Technology Program are employed within nine months of graduation. The average annual wage in this field is $48,737, with an earning potential of about $58,105 per year.

While at BTC, you can be active in the Student Chapter of the American Welding Society (AWS) to begin networking and interacting with professionals in the welding and fabricating fields.

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

Welders are employed in various areas of business and industry that require working with different types of metal for either manufacturing, repair, or cutting. Nationally, nine out of ten welders and cutters are employed in manufacturing, services, construction, or wholesale trade.

Typical places of employment include sheet metal fabrication companies, energy service companies, steel manufacturing companies, refineries, fence and iron companies, transportation, heating and plumbing companies, various unions, federal, state and municipal government, and self-employment. Potential positions include welder, cutter, welding machine tender, welding machine operator, foreman, and leadman.

Faculty & Support

Test

  • Degrees and Credentials

    Certificate, AWS-Certified Welding Inspector (CWI), American Welding Society

    Certificate, WABO-Certified Welder, Washington Association of Building Officials

    Certificate, AWS-Certified Welding Educator (CWE), American Welding Society

    Certificate, Professional Technical Education, Washington State

    U.S. Navy HT-Hull Maintenance Technician

    Certificate, AWS-Certified Radiographic Interpreter (CRI), American Welding Society

    Certificate, WABO-Structural steel and Welding Inspector, Washington Association of Building Officials

    Certificate, WABO-Weld Examiner, Washington Association of Building Officials

    Certificate, ICC-Structural Steel and Welding Inspector

    Ironworkers Local #509

  • Degrees and Credentials

    Certificate, AWS D1.1 Welding, American Welding Society

    Certificate, Professional Technical Education, Washington State

  • Degrees and Credentials

    BS, Agriculture Studies, Dickinson State University

    Certificate, WABO-Approved Welder Examiner, Washington Association of Building Officials

    Certificate, AWS-Certified Welding Inspector, American Welding Society

    Certificate, AWS-Certified Welding Educator, American Welding Society

    Certificate, Professional Technical Education, Washington State Washington State

    Certificate, WABO-Certified Welder, Washington Association of Building Officials

  • Degrees and Credentials

    BA, Anthropology, Western Washington University

    Certificate, AWS-Certified Welding Inspector (CWI), American Welding Society

    AAS, Welding Technology-Aluminum/Steel, Bellingham Technical College

    Certificate, Professional Technical Education, Washington State

    Certificate, WABO-Certified Welder Examiner, Washington Association of Building Officials

    Certificate, AWS-Certified Welding Educator, American Welding Society

    Certificate, WABO-Certified Welder, Washington Association of Building Officials

  • Degrees and Credentials

    Certificate, AWS D1.1 Welding, American Welding Society

    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