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)

Data are provided on a program (not credential) level

94% BTC graduate placement rate ¹

$51,971 starting annual wage ²
$66,970 average annual wage ²
$86,396 potential annual wage ²

This program typically starts in Fall Quarter.

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.

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

When you successfully complete BTC’s Welding Technology Program, you will be fully prepared 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 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.

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.