Welcome to the Metal Fabrication & Welding program at the WMCTC:

Students in the Metal Fabrication and Welding program learn various methods of fabricating metal, such as sawing, shearing, bending and rolling.  Various welding methods are taught including Oxy-acetylene cutting and welding, Shielded metal arc welding (stick), Gas metal arc welding / Metal inert gas welding (mig), Gas tungsten arc welding (tig), and plasma arc cutting. Students learn to read blueprints, mathematics applied for welders, basic science course work involving metallurgy and gas elements, employability skills, as well as operate computers which are used in the welding field.

The Metal Fabrication & Welding Field:

Welding is the most common way of permanently joining metal parts. In this process, heat is applied to metal pieces, melting and fusing them to form a permanent bond. Because of its strength, welding is used in shipbuilding, automobile manufacturing and repair, aerospace applications, and thousands of other manufacturing activities. Welding also is used to join beams when constructing buildings, bridges, and other structures, and to join pipes in pipelines, power plants, and refineries.  Job prospects should be excellent as employers report difficulty finding enough qualified people. In addition, many openings are expected to arise as a large number of workers retire over the next decade.

Student Organizations/Community Enrichment:

Students participate in, and compete, against other welders from programs throughout Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.