Welcome to Career Corner, a regular feature in Cougar News which highlights workforce programs at Collin College. In this edition, we are looking at the career outlook for someone with a degree in Welding Technology, one of the new programs to be offered at the Collin College Technical Campus this Fall.
A career in welding can be both versatile and rewarding, according to Collin College’s Welding Technology professor Darrel Rochell.
“If you have this skillset, you can literally travel to any major city in the country and find good work,” he said. “Employers can’t find enough good welders.”
Welders are regularly in demand, with their skills transferable to multiple industries – aerospace, manufacturing, and oil and gas exploration/refinement to name a few. What’s more, with many welders aging out of the profession, the American Welding Society is predicting a shortage of 375,000 welders by 2023. That means there is considerable room to move up as you develop your skills.
While certificate options are available, Collin College’s Welding Technology program is designed to provide its degree-seeking students with a foundation in not only welding but also the other technical and soft skills that they will need to take advantage of the opportunities that are coming. Students pursuing a degree will be taught multi-process welding including introductory and advanced techniques for working with oxyfuel, metal inert gas (MIG), and tungsten inert gas (TIG) equipment. The students will learn introductory and advanced blueprint reading and take courses in writing, math, and speech to ensure they have the communication skills employers want.
“If all you know is how to weld, you have minimized your marketability in the job market,” Rochell said. “We are focusing on fabrication and what goes into a project from start to finish.”
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers*
Average Salary: $42,800
18% growth
Choose Your Education
Associate of Applied Science – Welding Technology (60 credit hours)
Occupational Certificate – Entry Welding Certification (16 credit hours)
Level 1 Certificate – Gas Shielded Welding (30 credit hours)
Level 2 Certificate – Welding Technology (45 credit hours)
For more information on Welding Technology, visit www.collin.edu/academics/programs/WLDG_1Overview.html. Email workforce-programs@collin.edu for more info about the college’s other workforce programs.
* Job growth projected from 2019-2026. Data obtained from JobsEQ (Collin County), O*NET, and Workforce Solutions of North Central Texas. Note: The earning potential for employees with certifications and associate of applied science degrees may exceed the average salary.