How Long Does It Take To Get a Welding Certification? | An In-Depth Look at the Requirements, Education, and Courses

Cromweld.com may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of the links provided.

Do you have an eye for detail and craftsmanship? Those are the perfect traits for future welders. If you’ve ever had the urge to create, modify or repair things, a welding certification may be great for you. So, how long does it take to get a welding certification? You'll find out in this article!
Many people need answer to these questions:
How long does it take to become a welder?
Joining different materials together is not an easy task. If you have a passion for welding, a certification will teach you the skills needed to make a career out of it. 

How Long Does It Take to Get a Welding Certification?

You might be busy with classes or part-time jobs, but do not worry because welding will take less than one whole year. You have time to think about what goes into welding before jumping straight into it. A welding certification will be around 6-8 months depending on the program. 

For most welding schools, you have the option of choosing day or night classes. 
Also, every candidate will be placed at a different level. The level of training you choose will ultimately determine how long your certification will take. 

So, how long does it take to become a welder? The more training you receive the more you can prepare for the job market. Once you complete all the classes you can become a certified welder. Through this process, you’ll be able to look for jobs in the field you desire! 

Welder Definition

A welder is a versatile job position that can be placed in manufacturing or car shipments. Have you ever been interested in how buildings come together? A welder will work with various components of different industries.

They are not only limited to construction sites, as a welder you can have the opportunity to be placed in pipelines, bridges, power-plants, or refineries. Their main job is to maintain the machinery that they’ll work with.

As a welder, it’ll require you to be adaptable and think quick on your feet. Depending on your company, you’ll be assigned many tasks. Our team believes that with consistent hard work anyone can achieve their dream of being a welder. 

How Long Will It Take Me to Finish Welding School?

You want to consider all the requirements on how to become a welder before starting school. The length of your program will depend on the type of trade program, you’re entering. Each welding school offers a different series of welding training.

So, how long is welding school? If you don’t know anything about welding, a fundamental class will take around 1-2 weeks. Once you have some knowledge about what you’re studying each class will take around 3-4 weeks. 

In an overview the more training you receive, the more experience you’ll have. This will be a great attribute when you’re job hunting.
The overall time length is estimated around 6-8 months to fully complete welding school. 

how long does it take to become a welder?

You don’t need to worry about quitting your job or even working full time. Welding schools provide great accommodations for students who hold various responsibilities. The duration of the training maybe a little longer, but it is better to learn all the skills without a rush.

AVERAGE WELDING TRAINING PROGRAM DURATION: 0-6 MONTHS
If you aren’t so busy the average duration will be sometime around 0-6 months. This is half a year which makes it easier for you to save up money to pay for tuition and spend the rest of the year securing a job. 

Popular Welding Degree Programs

Furthermore, every person has their own set of skills when it comes to welding. Some of you will be better if you specialize in a program that best suits you. You want to choose a program that consists of basic welding, combination welding, reading blueprints, and welding.
There are 3 types of welding: stick welding, MIG, and TIG. After you take your intro classes you can begin to think about which welding program will best suit you in the long run.

Our team thinks its best to gain hands-on experience with each type of welding. In this way, you’ll be able to understand how each welding functions and how you can find the one most enjoyable for you. 

Certified Welder: Interest over Time

Certainly, when you’re in school you don’t hear welding as one of the job options. Ever since you were younger if you always geared towards crafts and creating things welding is a compatible job source. 

The interest in welding is gradually growing over time. This means that you don’t need to worry about frantically securing a job. Through a welding trade school, you can easily find the welding job that speaks to you. 

Since the interest over time is estimated to have 22,5000 jobs by 2026, you can see a 6% increase. This employment projection is great for welders who want to relocate or is just getting started.

How Long Does It Take to Get Your Welding License?

So, how long does it take to become a certified welder?

The American Welding Society provides its AWS certification for those who are interested in taking their welding skills to the next level. If you’re serious about specializing in a certain welding field, this program provides nine different certifications.

Depending on the program you go to, the welding training should consist of a little less than one year. If you want to choose an accelerated program it could be less than 6 months. Some programs offer combined certification and career opportunities which will run for about 7 months. 

Participate in an Apprenticeship

You can learn all the rules you need for welding, but if you don’t put it into practice it’ll be hard for you to determine what you need to do. Participating in an apprenticeship program is a vital component of your growth. 

Since you’ll be under high authority or supervisor you’ll be given the space to ask questions. Your apprenticeship will be a learning opportunity. It can be hard to navigate all the tricks without proper help. 

An apprenticeship allows you to create a simulation of what welding will look like. It’s better to make mistakes early on and be corrected. You don’t want to be making careless mistakes in the real workforce, as building and manufacturing companies will have invested a lot into these companies. 

Starting a Welding Career

It can be scary going out into the real world with your welding certification. Learn to weld by building connections. Networking is a great way to secure job placement.

A welding career is a versatile career path that offers countless job opportunities. If you were interested in creating ever since high school, lucky for you a training program requires at least a high school diploma.

If you know that welding is something you’ve always wanted to do, you can start by taking short, vocational training courses. From that point you can see if welding is something you can envision for your future. 

Certified Welder Career Path

You will be very satisfied with your welding job! You’ll never have to stick to the same routine because you’ll be constantly working on something new. Whether you’ll be working in a building, bridge, or a car, you’ll be able to have fun.

You to begin by thinking about top welding schools in the United States. Once you finish your research you’ll be able to get a better idea of which school best fits your interests.

Newly hires will be assigned different projects are it’ll require you to have skill, technique, and creativity. After you complete a project, most welders are left feeling proud and fulfilled. Some even sell  their completed projects for some extra money.

Is Welding in Demand?

The job outlook for welding is in high demand. Often people don’t know about welding opportunities because it’s not like every other career.

With an estimated 6% increase, students are known to face a job market with a full set of opportunities.

Newly qualified welders are on the high lookout. We see how the duration of buildings is always aging. This puts more welders to work as they maintain and repair the strength of each building. 

Relocation is possible, however, you’ll still be employed. For welders, job security is strong and just the career you may need to claim a full-time job. 

What State Has the Best Welding Jobs?

Texas has known to provide most of the welding jobs in the United States. If you want to be placed in an exciting metropolitan area, Texas gives you so many industries to choose from. There’s the industrial manufacturing, automotive welding, pipeline welding, boat building, and architectural.

Coming in second is California, providing a job for over 27,070 welders. Since the state relies on its water infrastructure it needs repair work. Bakersfield is a great place for welding.

When you look for a welding job make sure you are considering outside factors like your location. The right location will heavily impact the jobs you’ll be able to choose from!

FAQs

1. How do you become a certified welder?

Welders must meet minimum requirements and pass a certification exam in order to become certified. Among the AWS certifications that are available are the following: Welder Certified (CW): Certification requires passing a $35 exam administered by an AWS Accredited Testing Facility.

2. Is a welding certificate worth it?

Yes, welding school can be worthwhile because, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employers are increasingly requiring postsecondary welding education. Additionally, there may be additional advantages to completing a welding training program.

3. How much does a welding certification cost?

You can expect to pay between $5,000 and $15,000 to attend a college or skilled trade school to become a welder.
Cost of Welding School.
The national average cost is $6,850; the minimum cost is $2,800; and the maximum cost is $20,000. $5,250 to $11,100 on average.

4. Do welding certifications expire?

Yes. Due to the fact that welding certifications expire every six months for the majority of codes and three months for others, it is critical to submit maintenance forms and continuity records on time to avoid costly re-testing for certification.

5. What is the hardest welding test?

Welding 6G Pipe
The 6G Pipe Weld is the most difficult and advanced welding test available. This requires a high level of technical expertise due to the fact that you will be required to maneuver around the pipe while welding. The pipe is fixed in place and tilted 45 degrees.

About the Author Gregory

Hi, my name is Gregory! I have been welding practically all of my life and love it. As I have gotten older I have started to weld less and less, so in order to continue my love for welding I created this website. I like to write about my experiences and help you all become welders. I hope that you enjoy the site!

Leave a Comment: