Welding - Year 1

General Welding introduces students to essential welding and metal cutting skills required in industrial and fabrication settings. Students receive hands-on training in various cutting methods, including Plasma and Oxyacetylene, and learn multiple welding techniques such as Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW). The course emphasizes safety, basic equipment operation, and welding procedures across these methods. Three hours of this course are also dedicated to developing soft skills essential for workplace success.

Award Type:

Iowa Western Certificate of Completion

Learning Outcomes:

Identify and follow proper welding and cutting safety procedures
Demonstrate the setup and operation of Plasma and Oxyacetylene cutting tools
Perform basic welds using SMAW, GMAW, and GTAW techniques
Select appropriate welding processes for different materials and applications
Interpret basic welding symbols and blueprints
Maintain and troubleshoot welding and cutting equipment
Exhibit professionalism and teamwork through soft skills training

Educational Objective:

Vocational - This course prepares students for entry-level positions in welding and metal fabrication industries by developing practical welding skills and workplace readiness.

Tuition:

$1,257.15

Fees: Books and Testing

Length of Course:

11 Weeks (33 Hour Total)

Course Outline:

Unit	Topic	Clock Hours
1	Welding Safety and Equipment Overview	3 hrs
2	Oxyacetylene Cutting - Principles and Practice	3 hrs
3	Plasma Cutting - Equipment Setup and Operation	3 hrs
4	Introduction to Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)	3 hrs
5	SMAW Practice - Beads and Fillet Welds	3 hrs
6	Introduction to Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)	3 hrs
7	GMAW Practice - Techniques and Troubleshooting	3 hrs
8	Introduction to Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)	3 hrs
9	GTAW Practice - Fine Welds and Applications	3 hrs
10	Blueprint Reading and Welding Symbols	3 hrs
11	Soft Skills Development (Communication, Safety Culture, Teamwork)	3 hrs

Admissions Requirements:

N/A

Attendance Requirements:

If a student misses two or more classes their employer will be notified that they have missed two classes. IWCC will also notify the company every time that same individual misses any other classes. The student can work with the instructor to make up the class work and class time.

Instructor Qualification:

Instructor is registered, certified, or licensed in the occupational area in which the state requires registration, certification or licensure for the occupational area in which the instructor is teaching.