Welding Technology (Code 932)
Associate in Applied Arts and Sciences
Click here for the Welding Certificate
Note: This program is articulated with the
bachelor's degree program in Manufacturing
Engineering Technology at Ferris State University in Big Rapids.
Academic Department: Manufacturing
Welding is the process of joining pieces of metal by fusing them together. It is the most common and efficient method of permanently connecting metal parts in the construction of automobiles, spacecraft, ships, appliances, construction equipment and thousands of other products.
Welding processes differ in the manner in which heat is applied to the parts being joined, and in the techniques dictated by the nature of the metals involved and the configuration of the pieces. Gas welding uses a flame fueled by a mixture of oxygen and acetylene gases to supply heat, while arc welding uses the heat of a low voltage electric arc. The nature of the metals being joined often makes it necessary to protect the heated area from the air, and different ways of providing inert gas-shielding (GTAW and GMAW welding processes) of the weld zone have been devised.
Graduates of this program have gone to work in the aerospace, boiler and piping, construction and repair welding industries. Upon completion of this program, students are eligible for testing and certification to the American Welding Society Welding Code. They are also eligible for testing as associate welding inspectors in the AWS code.
Students at GRCC learn oxy/fuel, shielded metal, gas tungsten, gas metal, and pipe welding. These skills qualify them for a large variety of welding jobs in manufacturing, construction and maintenance industries. Job opportunities for trained welders are expected to increase in the years ahead. The U.S. Department of Labor publication (Occupational Outlook Quarterly) states that "…employment of skilled welders will grow, and job prospects will be good."
Some advanced standing credit may be granted to entering graduates of high school vocational programs that are members of the Kent Metropolitan Articulation Project.
Click HERE to view the most recent catalog with the suggested sequence of courses for this program.
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