Welding Certificate of Completion & AAS

Program Details Page Welding Certificate of Completion & AAS

Welcome to the Program Page dedicated to the Welding Certificate of Completion & AAS program! This page is designed to give an overview of what the quarter will look like based on the starting point in the year. Click on one of the desired tabs below to view the course schedule. This information may be subject to change at any time without notice. Please contact your adviser for more information regarding the courses.

Bookstore Information

a picture of an open bookInformation regarding the materials can be found at the RTC bookstore Links to an external site.. Just fill in the course information and you will be set!

The bookstore has what you need in regards to materials so be sure to check it out! It is always better to be prepared than to wait last second to buy your materials!

General Overview

When can I start? Fall (September), Winter (January), Spring (April), or Summer (July)

length of the program icon How long is the program?

  • 7 to 8 quarters (20 to 23 months) with 105 total credits for the Certificate of Completion
  • 9 quarters (22 to 23 months) with 115 credits for the AAS degree in Welding

When do classes meet? Monday through Friday, five days per week. We offer welding classes in two time slots:

  • Daytime: 8 A.M. to 1 P.M.
  • Afternoon and Evenings: 3 P.M. to 8 P.M.

With the Welding Certificate of Completion, you are skilled in all of the following:

  • Basic welding techniques
  • Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)
  • Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) on steel
  • Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), also called MIG, on both aluminum and steel
  • and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)

The program includes the multiple opportunities to earn certifications from WABO (Washington Association of Builders), which you will see in many welding job ads. You also complete career and academic support classes to give you all of the skills that employers want.

What does a welder do?

What is the average salary?

$58,010 annually (Links to an external site.) in the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma area. Most welders earn at least $43,250; there is a wide salary range.

Who can I contact with questions?

Overall Materials Needed:

  1. Access to a functioning laptop or computer (you may use computers in the RTC Library or Learning Resource Center)
  2. Working internet connection
  3. Tools and materials ($850 plus cost of FCAW, GMAW, and GTAW supplies). Review the Download RTC welding tool list.

Grade or GPA Requirements: To graduate, you must earn a minimum 2.0 grade in all of your certificate classes (COL, WELD, and WTD). You can earn a 1.0 or better in each of the General Education classes needed for the AAS degree.

Materials Warning

Some materials on this page are listed as TBD, which means that the materials have yet to be determined. Please consult your instructor on what textbooks or materials are required for the class.  If you rent a textbook, make sure you return it by the deadline. If you purchase a textbook, you can sell it back to the RTC bookstore -- but make sure that you won't need the book again for classes in the future!

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Quarter 1

 [Fall] Quarter 1 Course Information
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,583 
 You will learn welding fundamentals: different cuts and different joints on mild steel. You also learn shop safety, practical math, effective teamwork and problem-solving on the job.
It's time to apply for your first certificate! You complete the Welding Helper certificate this quarter.
Course ID
Course Name
Materials
Credits
COL 101 College Success NO 2
WELD 101 Thermal Cutting YES 3
WELD 102 Oxyacetylene Welding & Brazing YES 7
WTD 109 Safety, Tool, and Equipment Certification NO 3
WTD 168 Math for the Trades NO 4

Quarter 2

[Winter] Quarter 2 Course Information
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $3,316
You will start SMAW techniques and welds. You will learn how to interpret blueprints and create welded products based on drawings and instructions.
Course ID
Course Name
Materials
Credits
WELD 105
 Shielded Metal Arc Welding I YES 7
WELD 106 Shielded Metal Arc Welding II YES 7
WELD 130 Blueprint Reading (only offered in winter) NO 3
WELD 135 Welding Processes and Application (only offered in winter) YES 3
WTD 180 Human Relations for the Trades NO 2

Quarter 3

[Spring] Quarter 3 Course Information
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,685
 You continue developing SMAW skills with different welding rods, and you are introduced to GMAW techniques. In metallurgy, you study the properties of steel and potential weaknesses in plate or welds.
Course ID
Course Name
Materials
Credits
WELD 138 Certification SMAW (repeatable as needed if trying to acquire WABO cert) YES 7
WELD 110 Flux Cored Arc Welding YES 7
WELD 136 Welding Metallurgy (only offered in spring) YES 3
WTD 175 Communication for the Trades NO 1

Quarter 4

[Summer] Quarter 4 Course Information
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $893 for certificate (5 credits); $2,016 for degree (15 credits)
You will learn GMAW (also called MIG) for aluminum, including spray arc and pulse spray arc techniques.
If you want to complete your associate degree, you should take a General Education social science class and a General Education communication or humanities class this quarter. If you have transfer credits, talk to your academic counselor about the classes you still might need for the degree.
Course ID
Course Name
Materials
Credits
WELD 120 MIG Aluminum YES 5
for AAS degree only
 Gen Ed varies by class 5
for AAS degree only
CMST 280		 Intercultural Communication (recommended) or another General Education communication or humanities class varies by class 5

Quarter 5

[Fall] Quarter 5 Course Information
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,479 
 You will practice electrode welding processes, continue developing your GMAW skills, and take your next set of WABO certification exams. There is an exam fee.
It's time to apply for your second certificate! You complete the Entry Welder certificate this quarter.
Course ID
Course Name
Materials
Credits
WELD 104 Intro to Arc Welding YES 3
WELD 111 Gas Metal Arc Welding YES 7
WELD 140 Certification GMAW/FCAW YES 6

Quarter 6

[Winter] Quarter 6 Course Information
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,125
 This quarter focuses on GTAW.
It's time to apply your third certificate! You complete the Certified Welder certificate this quarter.
Course ID
Course Name
Materials
Credits
WELD 114 Gas Tungsten Arc Welding I YES 7
WELD 115 Gas Tungsten Arc Welding II YES 6

Quarter 7

[Spring] Quarter 7 Course Information
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,012
 You will take two specialized welding classes.
Pipe welding is listed below, but you also can take Welding Fabrication (WELD 144 + 145) or Robotics Welding (WELD 146 + 147) instead.
It's time to apply for your final credential! You earn the Welding Certificate of Completion this quarter.
Course ID
Course Name
Materials
Credits
WELD 142 Pipe Welding I YES 6
WELD 143 Pipe Welding II YES 6
for AAS degree only
 Gen Ed varies by class 5

Grand Total Estimate for Welding Certificate of Completion: $17,143 plus cost of FCAW, GMAW, GCAW, specialty welding supplies, and exam fees

Grand Total Estimate for Welding AAS Degree: $18,266 plus cost of FCAW, GMAW, GCAW, specialty welding supplies, and exam fees

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