Program Overview
Students will receive a foundation of industry practices, welding theory, and knowledge of metal alloys and metallurgy processes. Graduates from the program will be competent in layout, fabrication, inspection, fitting, cutting, and forming metals, and determining electrodes and filler metals required by industry. Students will have the opportunity to learn techniques for certification testing, competent blueprint interpretation, and written procedures required by industry. Welders desiring to improve their position by upgrading their skills in specific welding processes or applications; or welders desiring instruction certification, fabrication, or inspection are encouraged to enroll in the program.
The welding program at SLCC also provides training in a variety of welding processes and joint designs. This includes:
- OAW - oxyacetylene welding, cutting
- PAC - Plasma Arc Cutting
- SMAW - stick welding, all positions, plate and pipe
- CAC - Carbon Arc Cutting
- GMAW - all position short circuiting transfer and spray transfer techniques
- GTAW - all position welding ferrous and non-ferrous metals
- FCAW - flux cored arc welding
- SAW - submerged arc welding
- Blueprint reading, fabrication and layout
- Operation of shears, rolls, drills and brakes
Career Opportunities
There are 1521 welding related jobs in the Salt Lake MSA. The median salary for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers is $58,817 in this area, while the national median salary is $50,817. Students who achieve the AAS degree are likely to advance further in their career with additional welding and durable general education learning.
What You Will Learn
- Demonstrate mastery of advanced welding processes—including SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, FCAW, and SAW—for both plate and pipe applications, performing multi-position welds that meet AWS D1.1 and API 1104 standards.
- Technical Blueprint Interpretation: graduates will accurately interpret welding blueprints, symbols, and fabrication layouts to plan and execute complex welding and metal fabrication projects.
- Metallurgical and Process Analysis: graduates will apply welding metallurgy principles to analyze heat-affected zones, distortion, filler metal selection, and shielding gas characteristics to optimize weld quality and structural integrity.
- Integration of Modern Fabrication Technologies: graduates will utilize CAD-based design tools, CNC plasma cutting systems, and collaborative robotic welding (Cobots) to enhance precision, efficiency, and automation in fabrication workflows.
- Quality Assurance and Safety Compliance: graduates will evaluate weld quality through visual, mechanical, and non-destructive testing methods, while adhering to industry-standard safety protocols and ethical practices in all welding and fabrication environments.
- Professional Communication and Collaboration: graduates will communicate technical concepts effectively in written and oral formats and collaborate constructively in team-based projects, demonstrating problem-solving and continuous improvement skills.
Estimated Cost
- Books: $120
- Course Fees: $140
- Supplies: $500-800 (personal protective equipment)
NOTE: Fees may vary based upon specific registration and are subject to change.
Career Outlook
Some careers shown require further education beyond this program.
Additional Information
Program Entry Requirements
Students must complete the USHE aligned Welding Technology Technical Certificate Welding Technology Technical Certificate. Good eyesight, good eye-hand coordination, physical condition and basic reading and math skills are required for success in this program. Students may start this program during the Fall or Spring semester. For information on getting started, please visit https://www.slcc.edu/sltech/advising.aspx.