Welding Engineering Technician (Co-Op option available)

This two-year program will provide students with exceptional welding skills sought by employers in the structural, pressure vessel and manufacturing industries. Students will learn from professors with vast welding experience to receive expert knowledge and practical skills that will foster their trade. This program will teach students to create and read blueprints; give them the skills of fitting metals and understanding their characteristics; equip them to work safely in the industry; and give them practical experience in weld shop and inspection methods. During the second year of this program students will manage a capstone project that will test the skills and knowledge they have learned, preparing them for a successful transition to the workplace.

Students will learn traditional forms of welding such as gas metal arc welding (GMAW), flux cored arc welding (FCAW), shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), as well as Plasma cutting and Air Arc gouging.

Graduates will be prepared to work in the manufacturing and construction sectors with the skills and knowledge to find entry level employment opportunities in a number of areas such as welding shops, manufacturers of metal products, piping and structural contractors, automotive and aircraft manufacturers, repair and maintenance services, building and construction industries, railroad and railcar industries and wind turbine manufacturers.

What You’ll Learn

• Perform safe work practices in the welding trade in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and Regulations for Industrial Establishments.
• Prepare and interpret drawings that would typically be used in a manufacturing and/or fabricating environment.
• Perform trade related mathematical calculations including volume, area, estimation, geometry, ratio, measurement, weights, loads, and centering of various lifts.
• Complete projects using the main cutting, gouging and welding processes of the fabrication industry.
• Perform all positions in shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, flux core arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding utilizing mild steel and structural shapes with various consumables.
• Perform open root welding on plate and pipe in all positions using the shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) process.
• Describe and identify the common weld defects and faults using destructive and non-destructive examination and testing methods.
• Identify and troubleshoot mechanical problems; recommend solutions for repairing and maintaining equipment to industry standard.
• Identify the applicable code(s) or standards to be used in conjunction with each specific fabrication activity.
• Identify and use distortion control and correction techniques as they apply to expansion and contraction forces.
• Use appropriate lifting devices and equipment in accordance with proper (safe) techniques.