Rio Salado College in Tempe offers a welding technologies program specifically designed to help formerly incarcerated individuals reenter the workforce following their release. The program gives students classroom theory and hands-on training in mathematics, metallurgy and welding techniques. At the end of the program, graduates get a certificate of completion in welding and the opportunity to become an American Welding Society (AWS) certified welder. The welding course can be completed in less than a year.
The Maricopa Skill Center in Phoenix, Arizona is located 10 miles from Tempe. The school offers eight welding certificate programs: Combination Welder (4 Process), Combination Welder (3 Process) with Pipe Welding, Combination Welder (3 Process), Combination Welder (2 Process), TIG Welder/TIG Fingertip Welder, Arc Welder, Flux-Core Welder and MIG Welder. Upon completion of the certificate program, students have the option of qualifying for their AWS certification. Maricopa Skills Center offers small class sizes and hands-on training for its programs, with a focus on job placement after graduation. Depending on the program, the course load takes 14 to 59 weeks to complete.
Mesa Community College (MCC) is located four miles from Tempe. MCC offers a welding technology program that focuses on both oxyacetylene and electric welding. Students can pursue either an Associate in Applied Science in Welding or a Certificate of Completion in Welding. Classes are held in laboratories with state-of-the-art welding equipment. An associate degree can be completed in two years while certificates can be done in less than one year.
Located 2.5 miles from the center of Tempe, East Valley Institute of Technology in Mesa provides a student-paced, hands-on learning environment for training in welding. The program is designed for students hoping to jump-start a college degree program in welding or those looking to enter the field through apprenticeships and entry-level positions. Students work directly on both school and customer welding projects to gain experience in a supervised environment. The welding technology program can also be used as a high school elective credit. Since the class is self-paced, there is no set time line for students to complete their courses.