welding.chemeketa.edu

The Welding Fabrication degree program is for those who want to acquire the technical knowledge and skills required for workers in welding, fabrication, and related occupations. As a graduate of the program, you may qualify for positions in machinery fabrication, structural fabrication, welding fitting and layout, automatic and semiautomatic welding, automatic flame cutter operation, millwright welding, plant maintenance, and quality control and development. Welding fabrication technicians are skilled in the use of oxyacetylene welding and cutting equipment, manual arc, tungsten inert gas (TIG) and metallic inert gas (MIG) processes, and have a working knowledge of shop blueprints, and welding symbols, jig fabrication, and assembly processes.

The program offers you a background in manufacturing materials, processes, and systems, including shear and press brake operation, blueprint reading, and shop drawing and layout. The curriculum includes written and oral communications and general education classes and emphasizes related scientific, mathematical, and general mechanical principles.

Program Outcomes

Students completing this degree should be able to satisfy the following outcomes:

1. Set up and operate shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) equipment or gas metal arc welding (GMAW) equipment used in the welding/metal fabrication industry.
2. Perform basic layout and fabrication skills to produce welded metal parts and products.
3. Read and interpret engineering drawings to American Welding Society standards. 
4. Set up and operate manual and semi-automatic welding and cutting equipment used in the metal fabrication industry.
5. Use welding process and procedure applications.
6. Apply basic metallurgy knowledge to fabrication processes.
7. Perform as a team member and practice skills that reflect professional and ethical behavior in the workplace.
8. Perform basic set-ups and operations for manual and computer-numerical controlled machining equipment.
9. Design and carry out planning procedures for welding purposes.
10. Select and use tools and equipment to manufacture, measure, and inspect parts in a welding environment.

Getting Started

For admission to the program, an application is required. This is a separate step from Chemeketa’s assessment and advising steps. Applications are available online at go.chemeketa.edu/welding or at the Applied Technologies office in Building 20, Room 203 on the Salem Campus. Enrollment in this program is limited, and there is an early deadline for applications. All applicants must attend the Welding Technology Orientation as a requirement for acceptance into the program.This program has been designed to be completed in less than two years, if you attend full time. However, there are entry-level expectations for skill levels in reading, writiing, and mathematics. The length of time you take to complete the program will depend on your skills in these areas. To assess the time you will need to complete the program, please meet with Program Chair Mike Myers at 503.399.6066 or mike.myers@chemeketa.edu

At the end of the third term of the program, you may take a plate certification test. The fee for this test is determined by the number of students involved and the type of test.

You may earn an associate of applied science degree by successfully completing the required 91 credit hours with a grade of “C” or better in all courses.