CWI Welding and Metals Fabrication Program
Program Exploration Event
Interested in a career in Welding and Metals Fabrication? Join us March 1, April 5, or May 17 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. at the Nampa Campus Micron Education Center, Room 139 A/B to:
- Learn more about this program, and meet the faculty.
- Meet industry leaders, and hear about career opportunities.
- Understand how education in this career field benefits you.
- Get tips on how to prepare for a successful start.
- Take a tour of the lab space and technology.
Overview
Put yourself on the fast track to a career in Welding.
This skill-centric program focuses on specialized career preparation, giving you the education and training you need to begin your career quickly. Students receive hands-on instruction to master the practical skills needed to prepare for certification with the American Welding Society (AWS). From theory to practice, you’ll harness the latest technology and advanced industry-specific tools in our newly equipped facilities to apply learned skills, methods, and techniques.
Program Highlights:
The Welding & Metals Fabrication program puts students on the fast track to a new career in an in-demand field. Throughout the course of this program, you will learn:
- Basic & advanced welding training
- Welding Theory
- Metallurgy
- Blueprint creation, reading, comprehension
- Shop safety & leadership
- Project planning
- Hands-on tool training: shears, ironworkers, CNC plasma, press brake, rolls, mill, lathe
- AWS Certification Test prep and exam scheduling
Skills & Techniques:
After completion of this program, students will have comprehensive knowledge of the following:
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding - SMAW (Stick)
- Gas Metal Arc Welding - GMAW (MIG)
- Gas Tungsten Arc Welding - GTAW (TIG)
- Flux Cored Arc Welding - FCAW
- Layout and basic fabrication
- Print reading
- Metallurgy for welding
- Basic manual and computer aided drafting (CAD)
- Common fabrication shop tools and machinery operation
Mission
Welding graduates are in demand locally, nationally, and internationally. Our students often find positions fabricating new products such as industrial machinery, steel structures, oil industry, transportation equipment, railroad engines/cars, farm equipment, and more. Many graduates also find excellent self-employment opportunities in both urban and rural areas. Our mission is to provide this opportunity to train in a field so widely sought after… and to enable our students to achieve their aspirations, by equipping them with the skill set needed to gain local, regional, national employment in our industry.
Why This Program
Welders are in high demand in shops and various construction locations, and College of Western Idaho (CWI) has programs that can be completed in one year to get you out of the lab and into your new career. This program prepares you for certification with the American Welding Society (AWS). Students learn MIG, TIG, stick arc, plasma, flux core, shielded metal arc, and other welding processes in our newly equipped facilities.
What You Will Learn to Do
- Perform many welding processes
- Shielded Metal ARC Welding (SMAW) (STICK)
- Gas Metal ARC Welding (GMAW) (MIG)
- Flux Cored ARC Welding (FCAW)
- Gas Tungsten ARC Welding (GTAW) (TIG)
- Perform manual, semi-automatic, and automatic oxygen-acetylene burning
- Perform air carbon ARC and plasma cutting and gouging
- Operate fabrication tools and equipment
- Read blueprints
- Utilize appropriate fabrication techniques
- Maintain quality control
- Identify properties of materials
- Understand basic metallurgy
Additional Opportunities
Our welding department is very active in Skills USA, and competes at a local, regional and at times national level in our trade. Our students have requirements within Skills activities for community service projects. Group visits to local industrial partners are also included in the course.
Requirements and Costs
Degrees and Certificates
Welding and Metals Fabrication - Associate of Applied Science Degree
2
YEARSAAS
Welding and Metals Fabrication - Advanced Technical Certificate
2
YEARSATC
Welding and Metals Fabrication - Basic Technical Certificate 1
1
YEARBTC
Welding and Metals Fabrication - Basic Technical Certificate 2
1
YEARBTC
Important Dates for Credit Programs
Summer 2023 | Fall 2023 | Spring 2024 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Priority Registration Begins1 | N/A | April 10 | Nov. 13, 2023 | |
Open Registration Begins | Feb. 27 | April 17 | Nov. 20, 2023 | |
Financial Aid Priority Deadline | May 13 | July 29 | Dec. 16, 2023 | |
Admission Deadline2 | May 27 | Aug. 12 | Jan. 6 | |
Last Day to Register for Classes | June 2 | Aug. 18 | Jan. 12 | |
Tuition and Fees Due | June 2 | Aug. 18 | Jan. 12 | |
Classes Begin3 | June 5 | Aug. 21 | Jan. 16 | |
1 Priority registration is limited to continuing students. Students are assigned a registration time based on their cumulative credits earned. Students should check myCWI and their CWI email to learn their assigned registration time. Students may register online anytime on or after their assigned registration time. | ||||
2 The admission deadline for international students is earlier than the deadline for non-international students and is only available during the fall and spring semesters. Please consult the Academic Calendar for the international student admission deadlines for the fall and spring semesters. | ||||
3 Classes in shorter sessions (including 4-, 5-, and 8-week sessions) may begin before or after this date. Please refer to the Registration and Refund Deadlines by Class Section Dates (located beneath each semester) of the Academic Calendar for more information. |
Skills, Traits, and Prep Classes
- Sound math and spatial skills
- Mechanical aptitude
- Good hand-eye coordination
- Solid reading skills
- Ability to work well on a team
- Precise attention to detail
Advising
Navigating your way through college can be confusing, especially if you try to go it alone. CWI offers advising assistance to help in deciding which courses you need to take to reach your education and career goals. Visit Advising or contact One Stop Student Services for more information.
Connecting With Ideas
Connecting With Ideas (CWI 101) is the first semester student success course designed to help CWI students become engaged members of the academic community and cultivate habits for lifelong achievement and success. Each semester, students can select from a variety of themes. More information about next semesters CWI 101 themes
Transfer
Look beyond your degree at CWI and plan for continuing your education by working closely with CWI advising and representatives of your intended transfer school. Planning before you transfer can save you time and money. Visit Transfer Information for more information or contact One Stop Student Services.
Financial Aid Available
Did you know that as a student in this program you may be eligible for financial aid? Through grants, scholarships, and loans, more than 60 percent of first-time, full-time CWI students receive some form of financial assistance. To learn more about financial aid options and whether you may be eligible, visit Financial Aid.
Tuition and Fees
Tuition for a full-time CWI student averages half the cost of a state university and a third of the cost of a private college. Tuition and fees vary based on program and residence. Visit Tuition and Fees for more information.
Career Info
Professions
- Welder
- Fabricator
Welding graduates are in demand locally, nationally, and internationally. Our students often find positions fabricating new products such as industrial machinery, steel structures, transportation equipment, railroad engines/cars, farm equipment, and more. Many graduates also find excellent self-employment opportunities in both urban and rural areas.
Locations
Instructors
Program Department Chair
Instructor(s)
Respectful Community
The College of Western Idaho is committed to maintaining a Respectful Community by providing equal opportunity for all individuals and does not discriminate in services, benefits, or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, veteran status, age, or any other legally protected status. More on Title IX
News and Blogs

CWI's partnership with Idaho Job Corps serves students by connecting them to skills training and employment.

The Nagel Foundation scholarship empowers second-year career and technical education students to complete their education.

Congratulations to Bradley Dougal, a 2019-2020 Nagel Foundation scholarship recipient.

Congratulations to Harvey Kenworthy, College of Western Idaho’s Staff of the Month for March 2019.

Emily Kominek is thriving as a Career Pioneer in the College's Welding program.

Career and Technical Education students nominated by instructors as Emerging Professionals for 2018/19 academic year.
Career & Technical Education
- Administrative Specialist
- Advanced Mechatronics Engineering Technology
- Automotive Technology
- Bookkeeping and Accounting
- Cisco Networking and Security Technologies
- Collision Repair Technology
- Computer Support Specialist
- Cybersecurity
- Dental Assisting
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- Education, Early Childhood
- Fire Service Management
- Fire Service Technology
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- Heavy Equipment Technician
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- Law Enforcement
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- Medical Assistant - Credit
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- Welding and Metals Fabrication
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