Delta Technical College

DTC

Request Info (866) 733.6652

  • Programs
    • Journeyman Welder
      • Journeyman Welder Enrollment and Outcomes
    • Journeyman Welder II
      • Journeyman Welder II Enrollment and Outcomes
    • Medical Assisting
      • Medical Assisting Enrollment and Outcomes
    • HVAC/R Technician
      • HVAC/R-MAR Enrollment and Outcomes
    • Dental Assisting
      • Dental Assisting Enrollment and Outcomes
    • Phlebotomy
    • Professional Truck Driving
      • PTD Enrollment and Outcomes
    • Cosmetology
      • Cosmetology Enrollment and Outcomes
    • Medical Coding Specialist
      • Medical Coding Enrollment and Outcomes
    • Industrial, Commercial, & Residential Electrician
      • Industrial, Commercial, & Residential Electrician Enrollment and Outcomes
    • CDL Training Course
      • CDL Enrollment and Outcomes
    • Cosmetology Instructor Training
    • Continuing Education
  • Campuses
    • Horn Lake, MS
    • Ridgeland, MS
  • Student Services
    • Externships
    • Student Accounts
    • Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention
    • Student Complaint Procedures
    • Transcript Request
    • E-Learning MS Teams
    • E-Learning Canvas
    • E-Learning Pearson
    • Student Portal
  • Admissions
    • Why Delta Tech?
    • Housing
    • Military Students
      • Principles of Excellence
      • Military Friendly School
      • Montgomery GI Bill®
      • Post-9/11 GI Bill®
    • Financial Aid
      • Financing Options
      • Tuition and Cost
      • Net Price Calculator
      • Student Loan Management
    • Scholarships
      • MTI DTC High School Scholarship
        • High School Scholarship Registration
        • Submit Video
        • Terms Conditions
    • Welding Competition
    • Graduation Disclosures
    • Catalog
  • About
    • Emergency Financial Aid Grant
    • Accreditation
    • State Licensing
    • Campus Safety
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Enrollment and Outcomes
    • Delta Tech Employment Opportunities
    • Delta Tech Curriculum
  • News
    • Community Events
    • Resources
  • Search
  • Request Info

How to Become a Welder

welder training in classroom

A professional welder fuses the metal joints that can be found in everything from massive structures like ships and skyscrapers to tiny parts found in computers and medical devices.[1][2] Large or small, a professional welder’s work must be strong and sound to ensure the satisfaction and safety of its users. Formal welding training and welder certification are two credentials employers typically look for to confirm whether a welder has the knowledge and skills necessary to perform the job correctly.[3] What does earning these qualifications entail and what else is needed to become a welder?

What Do You Need to Become a Welder?

While many of the skills necessary to work as a welder can be learned in welding classes, certain personal traits can also be helpful on the job. Since welding requires strength and precision, these tradespeople can benefit most from a combination of physical and mental qualities.[4]

Mental QualitiesApplicationsPhysical QualitiesApplications
Attention to DetailVisually Detecting Defects & Performing Precise WorkManual Dexterity: Steady Hands & Good Eye-Hand CoordinationGuiding Handheld Welding Equipment Along Metal Surfaces with Precision
Spatial OrientationInterpreting Multi-Dimensional DiagramsPhysical Strength & StaminaLifting Heavy Equipment & Standing While Performing Repetitious Tasks for Long Stretches of Time
Critical ThinkingLogically Troubleshooting ProblemsNear VisionSeeing Work a Few Feet Away
Problem SensitivityRecognizing ProblemsOperation & Control PrecisionControlling System & Equipment Operations with Precision
MonitoringAssessing Personal & Peer Work Performance to Make ImprovementsMulti-Limb CoordinationCoordinating Movement of Two or More Limbs While Standing, Sitting, or Lying Down

[5][6]

What Training & Education Does It Take to Become a Welder?

The skills for a welding career are often learned in a welding training program and validated through welder certification tests. This is because employers typically prefer to hire welders with technical training. A high school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED) are usually requirements for admission into welding schools.[7] Work experience is also helpful to becoming a welder because it may entail on-the-job training or help with career advancement or specialized certification.[8][9][10]

High School or GED

Helpful Classes or Study Focuses:[11]

  • Shop Math
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • Computers

Welding School

Example Welding Classes[12]

  • Metallurgy
  • Basic Math
  • Welding Processes with Production Applications
  • Metal Cutting Techniques
  • Metal Properties
  • General Safety Training & Safety Procedures for Craning & Rigging

Welding Certifications

TypeTestRequirementsApplications
Welding SchoolCore Production Welding Processes (SMAW, GTAW, FCAW & Others)Enrollment in Welding Program & Passage of TestPositions in Maintenance, Construction & Manufacturing
EmployerWelding Processes Needed for the JobJob Interview & Passage of TestWelding Job
American Welding Society (AWS) Certified WelderAWS Standard Welding Procedures (SWPSs), Non-Code or Company Supplied Welding Specifications, or Industry Standard SpecificationsPass a Test at an AWS Accredited Test Facility & Submit Completed Application & FeeWelding Jobs in the Petroleum Pipeline, Chemical Refinery, Structural Steel & Sheet Metal Industries
Specialized Industry: AWS, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), American Petroleum Institute (API) & OthersVariesUsually a Combination of Work Experience, Welding Training & Other RequirementsProfessional Certifications like Certified Welding Inspector or for Working in the Petroleum or Boiler & Pressure Vessel Industries

[13][14][15][16]

Where to Learn How to Weld

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that there are a few options of where to receive formal welder training: vocational schools, community colleges, and welding schools.[17] A welding program can take between 7 months and 2 years to complete. Community colleges can take longer, especially if seeking an associate degree.[18] Vocational and welding schools tend to offer a more career-specific, hands-on course of study, which can result in shorter program lengths.[19]

Delta Technical College offers a welding training program that can be completed in 7 months at its campuses in Horn Lake and Ridgeland, Mississippi. Graduates of the program typically find employment in the maintenance, manufacturing, and construction industries as pipefitters, boilermakers, structural welders, and other positions.[20] If you have further questions about becoming a welder, our admissions staff can help.

  • Sources
    • [1] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/welders-cutters-solderers-and-brazers.htm#tab-2
      [2] http://www.careersinwelding.com/welding_fun_facts.php
      [3] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/welders-cutters-solderers-and-brazers.htm#tab-4
      [4] http://work.chron.com/requirements-becoming-welder-6817.html
      [5] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/welders-cutters-solderers-and-brazers.htm#tab-4
      [6] https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-4121.06
      [7] https://classroom.synonym.com/requirements-trade-school-17835.html
      [8] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/welders-cutters-solderers-and-brazers.htm#tab-4
      [9] http://www.careersinwelding.com/students.php
      [10] https://www.aws.org/certification/page/certified-welding-inspector-2
      [11] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/welders-cutters-solderers-and-brazers.htm#tab-4
      [12] https://www.deltatechnicalcollege.com/programs/journeyman-welder-training/
      [13] https://www.aws.org/certification/page/certified-welder-program
      [14] https://www.aws.org/certification/professionalcertifications
      [15] http://work.chron.com/welding-certification-classifications-17865.html
      [16] https://www.deltatechnicalcollege.com/programs/journeyman-welder-training/
      [17] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/welders-cutters-solderers-and-brazers.htm#tab-4
      [18] https://weldguru.com/tag/how-long-does-welding-school-take/
      [19] https://study.com/blog/trade-school-vs-community-college-what-s-the-difference.html
      [20] https://www.deltatechnicalcollege.com/programs/journeyman-welder-training/

Filed Under: Careers

Get More Information

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Resources

  • Careers

Programs

  • Journeyman Welder
  • Journeyman Welder II
  • Medical Assisting
  • HVAC/R Technician
  • Dental Assisting
  • Professional Truck Driving
  • Cosmetology
  • Medical Coding Specialist
  • Industrial, Commercial, & Residential Electrician
  • CDL Training Course
  • Continuing Education

Campuses

Horn Lake, MS
(662) 280-1443

Ridgeland, MS
(601) 206-5200

Student Services

  • Externships
  • Student Accounts
  • Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention
  • Student Complaint Procedures
  • Transcript Request
  • Student Portal

Admissions

  • Why Delta Tech?
  • Military Students
  • Financial Aid
  • Scholarships
  • Welding Competition
  • Graduation Disclosures
  • Catalog

About

  • Faculty Directory
  • Accreditation
  • State Licensing
  • Campus Safety
  • F.A.Q.
  • Enrollment and Outcomes
  • DTC Employment Opportunities
  • Sitemap

Terms of Use|Privacy PolicyCopyright © 2021 Midwest Technical Institute
MTI/DTC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program |Emergency Financial Aid Grant