Welding Courses
Although COVID-19 has brought a new disease into our life, it also creates opportunities for online learning, which is definitely something that we should take advantage of!
Almost any type of skill could be learned or improved online, and some educational institutions even have semi-online welding courses!
If you are intrigued about the welding industry and want to learn more about it, then please keep reading this article further!
Who Would Make a Great Welder?
Nowadays, welders are in high demand, as they are needed in any type of factory: oil and gas, mining, manufacturing mills, construction, and so on. Hence, you would definitely benefit from going through a welding course, especially if you want to learn how to weld!
However, not everyone would make a great welder. You would need to really love working with your hands and performing long and dangerous tasks, as well as understanding physics and obeying the orders of your superiors.
Hence, those of you who prefer to work with your brain, not your hands, would be better off in other professions and courses.
How to Get Into a Welding Program?
Admission requirements may vary from one place to another, but all in all, they are not as strict as they are for other types of programs!
You will need to provide proof of your successful completion of 10 Grades of school education, as well as prove that you have knowledge of the English language that is high enough for you to study welding techniques such as gas metal arc welding or shielded metal arc welding.
In general, this is the knowledge required for you to enter a welding program. However, the amount of program requirements could be increased for international students, which is why you should additionally check such information.
Study Process
Depending on the type of course that you will choose, you can either study welding skills from scratch or enter a program that would enhance the knowledge and welding skills that you have already received from another introductory course.
But in any case, you can expect to receive training in the following topics and courses relevant to the welding trade:
- types of power sources;
- gas metal arc welding;
- gas tungsten arc welding;
- shielded metal arc welding;
- MIG welding/laser welding/braze welding/open root welding skills on mild steel;
- shop safety according to Occupational Health and Safety Act;
- oxy-fuel welding;
- flux cored arc welding;
- blueprint reading;
- steel fabrication construction;
- plasma arc cutting;
- trade mathematics;
- drawing interpretation and welding symbols;
- communication skills for welders, and so on.
As you can see, most of your topics would be practice-oriented, but the theoretical ones are also very important for you to learn to become an excellent welding technician! You should always know how to communicate thoroughly with your crew or supervisors, as well as about the safety welding techniques such as safety glasses or welding gloves that should always be employed by you so that everyone can leave the working space without any damage to their health.
Online versus Offline Welding Courses
When it comes to welding courses, there is not much of a debate about the format of work that is preferred by the majority; however, we still need to discuss the pros and cons of both sides.
By studying offline, students receive hands-on training from professional welders and highly qualified instructors, allowing them to learn all welding techniques and practice using the newest welding equipment, which is definitely the most important part of any type of welding program.
However, studying completely offline might interfere with students' possibility to work while the course is going on, which is something very important not only for young adults but also for older categories of people that cannot receive financial assistance from their families.
By studying online, students miss the chance to receive hands-on instruction on how to employ welding techniques in real life, but they still can learn the theoretical basics that any welder needs to know in order to perform shielded metal arc welding or any other welding processes.
Online courses are perfect for those students who are already familiar with welding techniques, have practiced them in the past, and now want to update their knowledge while still having a chance to work while studying. But for beginners that do not know a thing about being a welder, hybrid or in-school training formats of welding courses are the best options!
Career Perspectives
After successful completion of a hands-on welding training program, students will have the skills that will allow them to perform welding fabrication and basic repair, and any one of them would be an in-demand welder or metal fabricator in many different organizations, such as:
- Steel fabrication construction;
- Construction and manufacturing;
- Refineries and mills;
- Mines;
- Transportation;
- Oil and gas organizations.
Self-employment is also possible, but we definitely do not recommend it right after the completion of your welding course. It is better to find positions in well-known organizations to improve your skills so that later you can weld metals on your own.
As for salary expectations of entry-level welders, the average salary would be somewhere around 45,000 dollars after the training. Experienced and skilled welders increase their earnings with time, which is why your salary could increase up to 90,000 dollars with time. What is more, do not forget that unionized welders usually receive wages for a welding project that are higher than the average ones.
All in all, learning how to weld can bring a lot of professional opportunities into your life, as well as provide you with a steady decent income and an interesting job. As long as you are willing to work with your hands and are capable of implementing math and physics basics in your day-to-day life, a welding course will be a good idea for you!
Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ
How long does it take to get a welding qualification?
Depending on the level of skills and knowledge that students already have about welding, their training could last from a few weeks to an entire year. Those of you who simply need to improve your skills in MIG welding or oxy-fuel cutting will need a two-week training program, while others that do not know how to set up shielding gasses to work with mild steel or the difference between flat position and horizontal position welding would need to study for about a year or even more.
How do I become a certified Welder in Ontario?
The Canadian welding bureau provides welding certification to those that have finished a three-year apprenticeship welding program or have provided proof that they have at least three years of experience in welding and cutting a sphere with a smaller but still relevant training received.
How long is a welding course in Canada?
Your theoretical studies would usually last for about a month or two, while the practical part of the program could last for more than one year. As you can see, welding students need to practice quite a lot during their training before they can become quite experienced welders that are always in high demand in Canada in many industries.
