Welding

About the Program

Whether you are interested in hands-on welding or robotic operations, Wallace State’s popular Welding program offers the most up-to-date training in the field with outstanding student outcomes.

Welding, the most common way of permanently joining metal parts, is used to construct and repair parts of ships, automobiles, spacecraft and thousands of other manufactured products. Heat is applied to the pieces to be joined, melting and fusing them to form a permanent bond.

In recent years, welding has evolved into a highly sophisticated field filled with computer programming and robotics, and it is becoming more advanced every year. This evolution is evident in the welding department at Wallace State, which is equipped with state-of-the-art robotic welders.

Because industry is rapidly moving to robotic operations for repetitive welding processes, particularly in the automotive manufacturing industry, students trained on these robots will have a significant advantage in opportunities for high-paying, highly-skilled employment. There is also an increasing demand for qualified and certified welders, which has pushed salaries higher and kept the job market vibrant.
    
In addition to robotics, students in the department also learn traditional techniques on equipment they will use in the workforce, performing stick welds, mig welds, flux core welds, aluminum welds, tig welds, pulse welds and many others. 

Welding classes are offered at both the main campus in Hanceville and at the Oneonta Techncial Center. 

Career Outlook

There will always be a need for hands-on welding, and knowing how to spot and correct problems during the welding process is essential even in robotics. Being able to integrate welding techniques and knowledge with an ability to work with computers and robotic machinery is essential in order to keep up with the changing face of the welding industry. Today’s welders must also have a working knowledge of industrial blueprints, fabrication layout, process operation, and equipment setup, and be able to spot and correct problems in the welding process.

The Wallace State program boasts yearly job placement rates of 100 percent, with starting salaries of approximately $40,000 and increasing to $80,000 with just one to two years’ experience. (Source: U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics)