Welding Technology

Let the Sparks Fly on Your Welding Career

Are you looking for a career that’s exciting, challenging, and a lot of fun? You’ll find all that plus endless job opportunities in welding.

Welding is an excellent career choice for individuals seeking a hands-on, skilled trade with a wide range of opportunities. It offers job stability, as welders are in high demand across diverse industries such as construction, shipbuilding, aerospace, energy, and automotive. This career also offers good earning potential, especially for those who gain advanced certifications or specialize in high-demand fields.

At South Piedmont, we offer a range of short- and long-term welding programs. No matter which program you choose, you’ll learn from highly experienced welding professionals in one of North Carolina’s few American Welding Society-accredited facilities.

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The Program Options

1 Year 18 Credit Hours

This program is a great choice if you’re just starting out in your welding career. You’ll gain foundational skills that will prepare you for entry-level work and more advanced levels of welding study.

Mode

Online/in-person

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Prerequisites

None

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1.5 Years 43 Credit Hours

The welding diploma program offers in-depth knowledge of welding science, technology, and applications, preparing you for a successful career in the welding and metalworking industries. The program combines classroom instruction with hands-on training in essential skills such as welding inspection, metallurgy, and industry-standard welding techniques, ensuring graduates are job-ready and highly skilled.

Mode

Online/in-person

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Prerequisites

None

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1 Year 18 Credit Hours

Get started with welding through this pathway that covers essential techniques such as SMAW (Stick), GMAW (MIG), and GTAW (TIG). Learn cutting processes and welding symbols to prepare for a rewarding career in welding and metal fabrication.

Mode

Online/in-person

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Prerequisites

Unweighted GPA of 2.8

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1 Year 14 Credit Hours

Focus on fundamental welding skills with courses in cutting processes, SMAW (Stick), and GMAW (MIG). This pathway provides the core skills needed for entry-level welding positions.

Mode

Online/in-person

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Prerequisites

Unweighted GPA of 2.8

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64 Hours

The Introduction to Welding Processes course is perfect for beginners, offering a hands-on introduction to welding principles and practices, including SMAW (stick), GMAW (MIG), and GTAW (TIG). With a focus on safety, blueprint reading, and cutting processes, this course provides foundational skills aligned with the American Welding Society’s SENSE Level I program, taught by certified instructors in state-of-the-art facilities. It’s an ideal starting point for anyone interested in entering the welding field.

Mode

Online/in-person

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Prerequisites

None

12 Weeks (Year-round)

Advance your welding skills with our intermediate and advanced welding courses, designed for students ready to move beyond plate welding and refine their techniques on pipe, out-of-position welds, and open root plate welds. With a strong focus on blueprint reading, metallurgy, and welding inspection, these courses provide hands-on training in destructive and non-destructive testing, all within a state-of-the-art facility utilizing the AWS SENSE curriculum. Taught by AWS-certified instructors, these courses will prepare you for higher-level welding certifications and career advancement in the industry.

Mode

Online/in-person

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Prerequisites

Introduction to welding processes course. However, the program lead may review your job experience and skill level and waive the Introduction course.

Approximate cumulative years of experience among the South Piedmont welding faculty

Welding bays stocked with industry-standard equipment; located at the OCH and LLP campuses

We teach four types of welding at South Piedmont (SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, FCAW).

Get Ready to Get Hired

What makes South Piedmont’s welding program different? For one, our instructors have actually worked as welding professionals. They’ve gained hands-on, real-world experience that they pass on to our students. At many competing programs, instructors are welding inspectors, meaning they can tell their students what they did incorrectly, but they can’t actually show their students how to perform a skill. That’s not the case at South Piedmont.

In addition to our outstanding faculty, South Piedmont has also met the rigorous standards to become one of only six American Welding Society-certified facilities in North Carolina. We’re also a member of Skills USA; through this organization, our students have the chance to compete against other welding students and connect with potential employers.

Welding students posing with thumbs up for the camera, their helmets lifted to reveal smiling faces, standing in a workshop setting.

Photo of Cheyenne, a South Piedmont welding student.

Affordable Education, Lifelong Freedom

The welding program is a great environment. Everyone is very inclusive. I am excited about becoming a welder. I’m going to be able to move out sooner because I won’t have to worry about paying off student debt. I won’t be struggling to start off in my life; I’ll be able to travel, get a house, and be financially independent.
Cheyenne Thomas , Welding student and resident of Waxhaw