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Welding Technology

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Welding is one of the most important crafts necessary for the manufacturing and construction of various products such as buildings, ships, aircraft, storage vessels, power plants, automobiles, etc.  Everything from Nuclear Reactors to the toaster found in your kitchen is made possible by the process of welding.

Careers in the field of welding contain a wide range of possibilities.  There are certified welders, fitters, inspection and design professionals, welding engineers and those who are involved in study and development of new metals and joining processes. 

Salary opportunities in the welding field are excellent.  You can go as far as your skill sets and knowledge will take you.

During the first year, the welding program will consist of exercises using the oxy-acetylene, shielded metal arc, gas metal arc and flux cored arc welding processes in the flat, horizontal and vertical positions.  You will also gain experience in the separation of metal using the oxy-fuel and plasma processes.  The study of welding symbols, blueprint reading, joint design and metallurgy are also included.

The second year focuses on advanced application of first year study and will include plate thickness of groove and fillet welder in all positions as well as introduction to pipe welding in the 2G and 5G positions.  All welds will be subject to a bend test.

American Welding Society:

The Kankakee Area Career Center’s Welding program is a member of the American Welding Society S.E.N.S.E. (Scholars Excelling through National Standards Education) program.  The S.E.N.S.E. program establishes standards for the training of entry-level welders.

Dual Credit:
Kankakee Community College (KCC): Students who successfully complete the first year Welding program at KACC will receive 4 Semester hours credit with KCC for their Course “WELD1114 Basic Welding.”  Students who successfully complete a second year in the KACC Welding program will receive 4 Semester hours credit with KCC for the course “WELD2224 Metalic Inert Gas Welding,”

Beecher High School and Crete-Monee High School Students have an opportunity to earn dual college credit at Prairie State College: First-year students may earn 2 dual credit hours for WELD 101 Principals of Flat Welding.  Second-year students may earn dual credit hours for WELD 102: Horizontal Welding & Brazing.

REQUIRED/RECOMMENDED TOOLS AND SUPPLIES:

• Jeans - no rips and/or frayed edges (work pants of a duck cloth type material are acceptable too)
• Welding jacket - all leather or leather sleeved
• All leather work style boots - must be above the ankle
• Leather welding gloves - gauntlet cuffed
• Welding cap - a baseball style cap that has no synthetic fibers in it is acceptable as well
• Welding hood with #10 and #5 shaded lenses and extra clear protective lenses
• Clear safety glasses (first pair will be provided by the Career Center)
• MIG Pliers
• Chipping hammer
• Wire brush
• #2 pencils
• Black and silver fine tipped permanent markers
• 2 spiral notebooks
• 1 - three ring binder

Course Outline at a Glance

First Year

Second Year

Personal Qualities Required

• • • • Willingness to work hard
      • Enjoys working with tools and machinery
      • Willing to repeat a welding exercise many, many times until it is perfect
      • Looking for a rewarding and challenging experience

Helpful High School Courses - Highly Recommended!