Career Focus
Prepared for immediate employment, apprenticeship opportunities, advanced certifications, and further education.
Who Can Attend
This class is typically available to students in grades 10 – 12.
Details
The welding program prepares students for entry level job skills in the welding field or participation in a community or technical college program. The instructional format is “self-paced,” allowing students to progress at their own speed.
Instruction is provided in:
- Safety
- Cutting and bending steel
- Shielded metal arc welding (stick)
- Gas metal arc welding (wire feed / MIG)
- Flux Cored arc welding (wire feed)
- Gas tungsten arc welding (TIG)
- Oxyacetylene torch cutting
- Project layout and construction
- Daily maintenance of shop and equipment
- Employability skills
Class Requirements
Students are required to complete welding and cutting operations, a required project and one project of their own choosing. Time in this class is split between lecture and hands-on activities. Students also receive an introduction to basic machining principles, including foundational work on the mill and lathe.
Resources
Build Your Future! Explore Careers and their Paths (opens in new tab)
Career Ladder
Michigan & National Wage and Employment Data (opens in new tab)
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
- Architects, Except Landscape
- Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Career/Technical Education Teachers
- Commercial and Industrial Designers
- Engineers
- General and Operations Managers
- Industrial Production Managers
- Purchasing Managers
Associate's Degree, Long-Term Training and Apprenticeships
- Architectural and Civil Drafters
- Boilermakers
- Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Tool Programmers
- Drafters, All Other
- Mechanical Drafters
- Civil Engineering Technicians
- Industrial Engineering Technicians
- Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers
- Machinists
- Mechanical Engineering Technicians
- Millwrights
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, Steamfitters
- Power Plant Operators
- Sheet Metal Workers
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers
- Tool and Die Makers
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
- Wind Turbine Service Technicians
Certificate or Moderate-Term Training
- Chemical Equipment Operators
- Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators
- Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers
- Machine Setters
- Maintenance Workers, Machinery
- Mechanical Door Repairers
- Medical Equipment Repairers
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
High School Diploma or Equivalent and Short-Term Training
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators
- Helpers–Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers
- Helpers–Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
- Helpers–Production Workers
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators
- Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers and Repairers
- Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators
High School Credit
Students should inquire within their guidance office about high school curriculum requirements that may be satisfied through a CTE class, as this is determined individually by school district.
College Credit
College Credit(s) Possible
- Students can earn up to 11 college credits from NMU
- Students must earn a grade of 90% or better and be recommended by the instructor
- Each college reserves the right to set its own credit-granting policy
- Contact your college(s) to find out the score it requires to grant credit, the number of credit hours granted, and the course(s) that can be bypassed with a satisfactory score
NMU Courses Satisfied
- WD 140 – Intro to Welding – NMU Credits Granted 4
- WD 180 – Multi-Positional Welding – NMU Credits Granted 4
- IM 110 – Industrial Measurement & Fabrication – NMU Credits Granted 3
National College Credit Recommendation (Test required)
- Students have the potential of earning college credits by scoring 70% or better on the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) (opens in new tab) assessment for Welding (opens in new tab)
- Test is administered in the classroom during mid-spring semester
- Over 1,500 colleges and universities accept NOCTI credit recommendations
Industry Certification
Industry-Recognized Certification
- 10-hour OSHA General Industry Safety Certificate*
- American Welding Society (opens in new tab) (AWS) certifications are pending availability of certified examiner*
Credentials are nationally recognized, portable and stackable, which means students have the option of attaining more advanced credentials in the future.*
Locations and Instructors
Ishpeming High School (opens in new tab)
Instructor: Andrew Henseler
Negaunee High School (opens in new tab)
Instructor: Alex McCorkle
Westwood High School (opens in new tab)
Instructor: John Jessen
NMU's Jacobetti Complex (opens in new tab) 2296 Sugar Loaf Ave Marquette, MI 49855