Alpena Early College Welding Pathway

Welders Play With Fire!

The more than 80 different welding processes give welders many varied career opportunities. Welders work on land and underwater and in various fields such as engineering, construction, robotics, and aerospace technology.

Welding I is part of a two-year welding program. It is a continuation of Introduction to Manufacturing. You will strengthen your knowledge of the welding processes and manual skills. Attention to detail and excellent eye-hand coordination are a must. There are three major types of welding: arc welding, gas welding and resistance welding. You will become competent in blueprint reading, welding symbols, electrical current and the various properties of metal. With the basic knowledge acquired from this course, you can advance to the Welding II course.

Welding II will prepare you to earn an American Welding Society entry-level skills certificate upon completion of the course. By course end you will become familiar with the tools and equipment used in manual and semi-automatic welding processes. You will understand the welder’s role in the work place and attain a sense of pride with your knowledge and acquired talent. Upon successful completion of all class requirements, you can earn an AWS skills certificate and eight credit hours of articulation with Alpena Community College in the manufacturing area.

Intro to Welding Technology - 9th grade elective

(Course counts towards fulfillment of the Visual, Performing and Applied Arts Requirement)
Students will explore all the different welding related occupations welding technology has to offer. While learning the different processes in Oxy-fuel Welding and Cutting and Arc Welding processes, students will perform hands on welding projects in each area, and create a small cutting project on the Plasma Cam Cutting Machine. All knowledge obtained in this welding technology class will give the student entry-level skills to continue with taking Career and Technical Education Welding classes.

Welding Technology I - 10th, 11th or 12th grade elective

(Course counts towards fulfillment of the Visual, Performing and Applied Arts Requirement)
Students will explore all the different welding related occupations welding technology has to offer. While learning the different processes in Oxy-fuel Welding and Cutting and Arc Welding processes, students will perform hands on welding projects in each area, and create a small cutting project on the Plasma Cam Cutting Machine. All knowledge obtained in this welding technology class will give the student entry-level skills to continue with taking Career and Technical Education Welding classes.

Welding Technology II - 11th or 12th grade elective

This course meets the Math Related Requirement when taken in a student’s senior year.
This course is designed to develop the welding skills of students who are planning to make welding a career. Students will be working on passing performance qualification test in SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, OFC and PAC. Students will be required to pass all tests to the American Welding Society QC10 standards. Classroom requirements will be studying the welding theories of each of the welding processes and passing the required test to the AWS QC10 standards. With successfully completion of the AWS Entry Level Welding Program the student will be ready for a College Welding Program or the World of Work as a WELDER. Prerequisite: Students must have teacher approval to enroll in the American Welding Society Entry Level Welding Certification Program.

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Choices!

Earn a certicicate, an Associate Degree or a Bachelor's Degree!

According to the American Welding Society, about 4 percent of the industry workforce in Michigan are women…[and] 15 percent of the welding workforce is age 55 or older. There currently are about 36,000 welding jobs in Michigan and there are expected to be openings for 9,100 welders. According to Projections Central, openings for welders, cutters, solders and brazers will grow 9.3 percent by 2024.

U.S. Department of Labor statistics show median wages in the industry are more than $17 an hour and wages go as high as $28.46 an hour in Michigan

Mark Urban, Traverse City Record-Eagle, 2017