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Welding and Fabrication, Certificate

Overview

Narrative

Northampton's Welding programs are designed to prepare you to enter a welding profession. The Welding & Fabrication certificate program is designed to prepare you to enter a welding setting in a short time frame or advance your current welding skills to the next level. The program offers career-specific coursework for a student wishing to complete their studies within three full-time semesters.

Your studies will include state-of-the-art welding equipment and principles from the American Welding Society. You will learn the marketable skills required to work effectively within a welding environment. Strong emphasis on the development of professional attitudes, values, and ethics. As you progress through the program, you'll gain critical thinking, priority setting, and decision-making skills needed in today's quality-oriented business environment.

Graduates of this certificate program can gain employment and then pursue NCC's Welding Technology associate degree program. This program will be of benefit to those who are seeking an entry level position in welding or those who are seeking to change careers. It is also useful for welders in need of updated skills and certification.

Features

This program prepares you for the responsibilities and challenges expected of a skilled trades person in a welding setting. Responsibilities of a welder include the ability to read and interpret blueprints at an advanced level, demonstrate advanced level welding principles, and to apply the knowledge of plasma arc cutting principles. Program students will be provided with the knowledge and skills to prepare for the American Welding Society certifications. The program may be completed in as little as three semesters if taking courses during the day.

Courses for the Welding & Fabrication Certificate include Welding Fundamentals, OSHA, Fabrication & Welding Symbols, Introduction to Pipe Welding Processes, Advanced Plate Welding Processes, and Gas Tungsten Arc & Semiautomatic Welding Processes Welding & Structural Blueprint Reading, Advanced Gas Tungsten & Semiautomatic Welding Processes, Plasma Arc Cutting and Pipe Welding Processes II. All of the courses in the certificate can be applied to either the certificate or associate degree welding programs.

Graduates of this certificate program can also continue on to complete the Welding Technology associate degree. 

Endorsed by Local Employers

Potential employers for those following this welding pathway include:

  • Manufacturers
  • Sheet Metal Fabricators
  • Construction Companies
  • Gas Line Companies
  • Auto Body Repair Shops
  • Material Supply Sales Companies

This program can be completed in the day or evening, on a full or part-time basis.

Please contact Dino Forst, Program Manager, at 610.332.6270 or dforst@northampton.edu or the Admissions Office at 610.861.5500 for more information.

Career Potential: Welding Educator, Welding Inspector, Welding Sales Representative, Welding Supervisor, Welding Technician.

Outcomes

Graduates of the Welding & Fabrication certificate program will be able to:

  • Demonstrate an ability to work independently and collaboratively.
  • Demonstrate safe welding and thermal cutting practices.
  • Produce welds that consistently meet American Petroleum Institute (API) 1104 Standard.
  • Analyze and present data in an acceptable and standardized manner.
  • Solve common weldability problems.
  • Demonstrate a basic framework of technical vocabulary and graphics interpretation.
  • Demonstrate observational, integrative, and synthetic skills.
  • Demonstrate the proper use and care of common welding equipment.
  • Apply basic defect prevention philosophy and techniques to achieving weld integrity.
  • Describe the key process elements and technology commonly found in industrial welding and cutting processes.
  • Demonstrate the skills & knowledge needed to obtain AWS D1.1, ASME Section IX, & API 1104 certifications.

Courses

First Semester

CADM117Technical Drawings & Specifications

3 credits

CISC101Introduction to Information Technology

3 credits

COLS101College Success

1 credits

EMEC114Mechanical Skills for the Trades

2 credits

MATH103Technical Mathematics

3 credits

WELD105Introduction to Welding Processes

5 credits

WELD135Welding Fabrication and Symbols

2 credits

Total Credit Hours:19

Second Semester

ENGL101English I

3 credits

WELD110Introduction to Pipe Welding Processes

3 credits

WELD123Advanced Plate Welding Processes

5 credits

WELD125GTAW and Semiautomatic Welding Processes

5 credits

 

OSAH102General Industry Outreach Safety Education**

1 credits

OR

OSAH101Construction Industry Outreach Safety Education

1 credit

Total Credit Hours:17

Third Semester

WELD230Welding & Structural Blueprint Reading

4 credits

WELD205Advance Gas Tungsten & Semiautomatic Welding Processes

4 credits

WELD224Pipe Welding Processes II

3 credits

WELD245Plasma Arc Cutting

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:14

Total Credit Hours: 50

** OSAH102 is the recommended selection.