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Welding Specialist Program Overview
For those with a passion for working hands-on, a career as a welder can be a great fit. Welders are often artistic, enjoy the flexibility that the job brings and like solving problems.
Our welding school in Michigan offers training for the industry that covers multiple kinds of arc welds and a curriculum built using principles from the American Welding Society (AWS) and The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER).
Welding Training in Canton
From construction to manufacturing, welding is a skill that is used in industries across the country. Welders have the job of fabricating and assembling metal parts, repairing materials, inspecting for quality control and more.
Our nine-month Welding Specialist program equips graduates with the knowledge they need to pursue a career in the field.1
What makes welding training different with us?
- Relationships with employers
- Complete the program in less than a year
- No prior experience needed
- Hands-on learning that mirrors real-world experience
Welding Types Taught
UTI’s Canton campus has a large focus on training with arc welding methods. The four main types taught include:
Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG)
Students spend the majority of their time learning this process at the Canton campus. Also known as GTAW, which stands for gas tungsten arc welding, it uses inert gasses such as argon or helium as protective shielding agents. The TIG process uses a tungsten electrode with a high melting point that delivers the heat to the metals, melting the metals in the process.
Stick Welding
Another big focus for students in welding at our Canton campus is stick welding, also known as shielded metal arc welding (SMAW). This is a method that can be used in all positions. It utilizes a flux-coated electrode (metal stick in an electrode holder) connected to a power source to touch the base metal and produce a weld.
Metal Inert Gas (MIG)
Metal inert gas welding, also known as gas metal arc welding (GMAW), is a method using a continuous solid wire electrode through the welding gun, accompanied by a shielding protective gas that prevents contamination. The process can be semi-automatic or fully automatic, making it a great choice for beginners. It can be used indoors for industries like construction, manufacturing, aerospace and vehicle production.
Flux-Cored
Flux-cored welding, aka flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) utilizes a continuous hollow wire electrode with a flux compound that protects the weld pool by forming a gas. FCAW is becoming popular in the general fabrication, shipbuilding and construction industries due to its higher deposition rates and efficiencies. It is also commonly used on carbon steel and stainless alloys.
Welding Course Topics
Thanks to our hands-on labs and a curriculum that’s built with help from industry leaders, welding training at UTI Canton means training tailored to industry needs. Some of the topics covered at our welding school in Michigan include:
Shielded Metal Arc Welding I
Students are taught how to clean and prepare all types of base metals for cutting or welding. This includes how to identify and explain weld imperfections, the use of fit-up gauges and measuring devices, how to check for joint misalignment and welding safety.
Shielded Metal Arc Welding II, Drawings, Symbols and Metal Characteristics
This course describes the preparation and setup of arc welding equipment and the process of striking an arc. Students are taught how to detect and correct arc blow and how to make stringer, weave, overlapping beads and fillet welds. Graduates will know how to complete quality welds using SMAW equipment.
Shielded Metal Arc Open Root Welding
Students are taught how to complete a quality weld on materials using SMAW equipment. This course explains how to set up SMAW equipment for open-root V-groove welds; how to prepare for and make open-root V-groove welds on various fittings, flanges, structures and carbon steel pipe; and procedures for making open-root V-groove welds.
GMAW Welding
In this course, students complete a quality weld on pipe using GMAW equipment. Students are taught the procedures and techniques used to make open-root V-groove welds with GMAW on various fittings, flanges, structures and pipes.
GTAW Aluminum Welding
This course explains how to set up GTAW equipment for aluminum welding processes and covers the procedures and techniques used to welds with GTAW in multiple positions with multiple forms of aluminum stock.
GTAW Carbon Steel Welding
This course explains how to set up GTAW and covers the procedures and techniques used to make V-groove pipe welds with GTAW. Students are taught to complete quality welds with GTAW equipment.
GTAW Stainless Steel Welding
In this course, students are taught how to weld on stainless steel using GTAW equipment. The course explains how to set up GTAW equipment and covers the procedures and techniques used to make V-groove pipe welds with GTAW.
GMAW/FCAW/GTAW, Equipment and Filler Metals
This course describes general safety procedures for GMAW and FCAW, identifies GMAW and FCAW equipment and explains the filler metals and shielding gases used to perform GMAW and FCAW. Students are taught these different methods to perform quality welds.
Welding Career Opportunities In Canton
Because our Canton campus has a focus on GTAW, completing welding training with us can help students feel prepared to pursue entry-level positions, particularly in the aerospace and motorsports industries. Our grads are prepared to pursue entry-level roles. As with any industry, over time, technicians may be able to advance in their careers with experience and hard work.77
Some entry-level careers could include:
- Welder
- Fabrication welder
- Welder fitter
- Wirer
As you gain experience and skill, some more advanced careers in welding might include:
- Inspector
- Quality control
- Certified welding inspector
- Welding project manager
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary in the United States for welders, cutters, solderers and brazers was $48,940 in May 2023.26 This means that half earned more and half earned less. Keep in mind that salary depends on several factors, including experience, employer, demand and cost of living in the area.
Image from UTI's Austin campus.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Program lengths vary for learning to weld depending on the welding school you train with. At UTI's Canton campus, you can complete training in just nine months.
- Generally, skilled welders are creative, detail oriented and drawn to the flexibility of a welding career. Attending a welding school also allows a student to learn different types of welding, which can give versatility for pursuing an entry-level career in the industry.
- While the answer can depend on personal interests and preferences, many find welding to be a good career because of the versatility of work in different industries. Welders are also drawn to the ability to work hands-on and take pride in knowing their welds are critical to the way the world operates.
Welding Training Near Me
Conveniently located near Detroit, our Canton campus is within driving distance of attractions like the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and the Detroit Zoo.
CAMPUS LOCATION
2955 Haggerty Road
Canton, Michigan 48188
M-TH | 8am-8pm | Hours
F | 8am-5pm | Hours
800-447-1310 | Campus
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