Skills
 
Welding Student - This photo provided by courtesy of Job Corps center operators under contract to the US Department of Labor.Students in the Welding Trade learn such things as an emphasis on safety and proper use of personal protective equipment, applied mathematics, drawing and welding symbol interpretation, proper use of fabrication shop tools, cutting and shaping metal with auxiliary equipment, the flame cutting process, oxy-fuel gas cutting, plasma arc cutting, air carbon arc gouging, shielded metal arc welding (SMAC), fluxcored arc welding (FCAW), and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW).
 
The training program is sanctioned by the American Welding Society. Students can also learn additional competencies to become employable specifically for Gunderson, Inc. in Portland, OR.
 
Students in the Welding Trade will also spend much of their time on work-based learning projects throughout the Columbia Basin —“hands-on training” is a great way to learn!
 
Job Information
  • Students in the Welding Trade can earn free college credit through Tech Prep and Big Bend Community College.
  • Students in the Welding Trade can earn a number of certifications through WABO: E-6010, LH-70, MIG, TIG, and ASME.
  • Starting wages for certified welders range from $12-$15/hour, depending where students relocate.
  • Students graduating in the Welding Trade can work at fabrication shops, shipyards, and manufacturing plants, among other places, and join a variety of unions.
  • Graduating students can be placed anywhere in the United States!
  • And finally, graduating students will leave with all the necessary tools for their trade, as well as personal protective equipment, worth approximately $150.