Welding Technology

The primary goal in the first year of the Welding Technology program is to give students the skills and instruction they need to enter the welding industry. With an emphasis on safety, students will receive hands-on, theoretical, and technical training in rigging, job estimation, blueprint reading, and layout and pattern making. In addition, students will receive extensive lab training in a wide variety of welding processes including S.M.A.W. (stick electrode), G.M.A.W. (wire processes), Pulse M.I.G., T.I.G., and Plasma cutting. The focus of the training is to give the students the skills necessary to successfully pass American Welding Society (A.W.S.) certifications. Our certification process is administered by an independent company approved by the American Welding Society. Students will also receive introductory instruction in design and fabrication thus allowing them to perform repairs and fabricate projects.

The second year of the Welding Technology program is designed to teach students how to use their skills performing advanced fabrication and repair work on actual projects. Students will learn advanced fabrication techniques using a wide variety of equipment including shears, bending breaks, forming rolls, punches, drill presses, and track torches. This may include anything from a simple welding repair to refacing a D-9 Cat blade. Students will also receive training in various methods of pipe welding with an opportunity to take the A.W.S. certification test. Second year students will be given instruction in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) burn table programming and operation using Auto-Cad and Shop Data Systems software.

UM-Helena has been designated as one of ten regional training centers in the United States by Miller Electric, the industry leader in welding equipment. Students will receive training on state-of-the-art welding equipment from faculty who attend Miller Electric training schools, providing students with a distinct advantage when entering the work force.

Faculty Advisor:Tim Harris, Seth Slocum, and Glen Zeigler

Welding