9 Months – Total Clock Hours: 900

2025 – 2026 Tuition: $10,852

Start date: 8/27/2025

Admission Requirements

Application Fee, Application for Admission, Enrollment Agreement, High School Diploma or GED, Criminal Record Check, Child Abuse Clearance.

Program Overview

This program follows the American Welding Society (AWS) guidelines and incorporates an AWS certification examination into the curriculum. This program covers symbols, theory SM AW, GMAW, GTAW, ECAW oxyacetylene cutting plasma arc cutting, and carbon arc cutting.  Students are taught welding safety practices, equipment set-up weld quality, joint-fit-up weld symbols, print reading, properties of metal and trade math.  Weld joints include multi-pass welds on tee-joints and various types of groove welds.

Maximum # of Students Per Class:  16

Program starts in September. Please check with CPI Admissions and review the Program Enrollment Agreement for specific start dates.

Entry-Level Career Opportunities:

• Welder
• Brazing Machine Operator
• Sheet Metal Worker
• Model Makers, Metal and Plastic

Courses In This Program Include:

Course Descriptions

WEL-110 – Foundations of Structural Welding Technology
Foundations of Structural Welding Technology covers the broad topic of welding safety and health. Students will become oriented to OSHA safety standards and are taught how to properly use equipment to avoid exposure to various hazards. Students are taught the importance of effective communication, both written and verbal, to follow safety guidelines, use Safety Data Sheets (SDS), complete assignments, and follow instructions, including completion of industry job sheets, reports, and records. Learning will include use of hand-powered and mechanical tools and equipment and discussion will focus on weld preparation and quality, equipment set-up, types of metals, methods of welding, and categories of joint geometry. Students describe welding techniques related to metal types and procedures, and interpret and explain welding codes, drawings or sketches, and welding symbol information required in the metal fabrication field. (120 0 Lecture Hours – 80 Lab Hours)

WEL-150 – Structural Welding Processes
In Structural Welding Processes, students will gain experience inspecting, setting up, and using welding equipment and related tools for Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), and Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW). They will practice fillet and groove welding with backing in all positions, cutting and gouging, pre-heating, and post-heating metal, performing visual examinations, inspections, and testing for weld quality to meet industry standards.
(70 0 Lecture Hours – 230 Lab Hours)

WEL-196 – Advanced Metal Shaping and Welding
The Advanced Metal Shaping and Welding Course of Structural Welding Technology advances students’ experiences using Shielded Metal Arc Welding equipment and covers the set-up, safety inspections and use of equipment for Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), Manual and Mechanized Oxyfuel Gas Cutting (OFC), Manual Plasma Arc Cutting (PAC), and Manual Air Carbon Arc Cutting (CAC-A). Students will practice open V-groove welds and perform welds on ferrous and nonferrous materials in all positions. In doing so, students will be able to identify the physical characteristics, integrity, and mechanical properties of metal before and after heat exposure. Students should be able to perform goughing and scarfing operations, straight, shape, and bevel cutting, and piercing operations on ferrous and non-ferrous metals. (52 0 Lecture Hours – 220 Lab Hours)

AWS-210 – AWS Test Prep and Test
During AWS Test Prep and Test, students identify the weld position, process, and thickness that they will be testing as the
certification portion of the Structural Welding Program. After identifying position, process, and thickness, students will practice test using American Welding Society (AWS) guidelines. This course concludes with students taking an AWS certification test. (0 Lecture Hours – 28 Lab Hours)