Welding is an excellent career choice if you want to enter a profession that doesn’t need a college degree. Welding certificate programs in Los Angeles can be completed in as little as 12 months. As a graduate, you’ll have the option to complete additional units to acquire an Associate’s Degree. However, the degree is not necessary for certification and employment as a welder. One of the best perks of the welding profession is multiple career paths. Welders work in numerous industries and you can always improve your career prospects with additional studies. Inspection, robotics, sales, engineering, education, and project management are just some of the many avenues you can pursue after you’ve gained some experience in the industry.
In Los Angeles, all welding, except when performed at the shop of an approved fabricator, must be conducted by certified operators. Requirements for certification include a completed Trade License application, a colored passport type photo, and the examination application fee of $54.50 for the exam. You must pass the written exam and the performance test at an approved testing facility. Welding schools in Los Angeles include extensive preparation for the rigorous exam. The City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety oversees the welder certification.
Welding Certification Center
The Welding Certification Center is a private welding school that is approved by the State of California. The school offers several course options for beginning welders and advanced welders. Workshops are also available for candidates for the LADBS Certified Welder Performance Test who want to improve their chances of passing the written test. WCC is an approved testing center so students can take the test onsite. The level I Welding is the first in the series of beginner courses designed to prepare students for advanced level courses and state certification. Emphasis will be on Shielded Metal Arc Welding as it relates so Certification in Structural Steel. Areas of study include safety, welding codes, procedures, test preparation, and destructive testing. The school applies open enrollment. Candidates are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Program overview:
Level I Welding – SMAW Structural Steel
Contact hours: 33
Prerequisites:
- Must be at least 18 years or older or obtain parental consent if 16 years or older
- Must demonstrate the ability to benefit by possessing a high school diploma or equivalent or passing an approved Ability-to-Benefit Exam (Wonderlic Basic Skills Test with a score of 200 for the Verbal test and 210 for the Quantitative test)
- Must have manual dexterity and physical ability to perform the functions of welding
- Must be able to read and write proficiently
Program cost:
The cost of the program is $2,145. The materials fee is $200.
Website: https://www.weldingcertificationcenter.com/
Address: 2701 N. Towne Ave, Unit C, Pomona, CA 91767
Phone: (909) 334-CERT (2378)
Cerritos College
Cerritos College offers an ARC Welding Certificate program to prepare students for success in the industry. The course starts with Welding Shop Math and Beginning Arc Welding to provide a foundation for advanced courses and state certification. Other courses include Blueprint Reading for the Welding Trades, Intermediate Arc Welding, and Advanced Arc Welding Lab. The program admits new students in the Fall or Spring semester. Day and evening classes are available.
Program overview:
Arc Welding Certificate of Achievement
Duration: 3 semesters
Units: 19
Prerequisites:
- Must be at least 18 years or older or obtain parental consent if 16 years or older
- Must have a high school diploma or equivalent
- Candidates without a high school diploma who are 18 years or older may qualify for enrollment after providing evidence of ability to benefit from instruction
- Submit an application to Cerritos College
- Attend a counseling appointment and enroll in classes
Program cost:
Tuition costs $46 per unit for resident students. Expenses for books and supplies must be covered by the student.
Website: https://www.cerritos.edu/welding/
Address: 11110 Alondra Blvd., Norwalk, California 90650
Phone: (562) 860-2451
Los Angeles Pierce College
Los Angeles Pierce College offers a certificate in Gas and Arc Welding to equip students with the essential skills for entry-level employment. The classes are affiliated with the American Welding Society. The curriculum will include lectures in the classroom and hands-on work in the school’s modern lab facility. Course modules include Oxy-Acetylene Welding, Arc Welding, Inert Gas Welding, and Advanced Arc Welding. Students have the option to complete an Associate Degree after completing general education requirements.
Program overview:
Certificate of Achievement in Gas & Electrical Welding
Duration: 3 semesters
Units: 24
Prerequisites:
- Must be at least 18 years or older
- Applicants under 18 years of age and not attending high school may apply for special permission
- Must have a high school diploma or equivalent
- Candidates without a high school diploma who are 18 years or older may qualify for enrollment after providing evidence of ability to benefit from instruction
- Submit an application to Los Angeles Pierce College
- Take and pass an admissions assessment
- Attend an online orientation
- Meet with a counselor before registering for classes
Program cost:
Tuition costs $46 per unit for resident students. Expenses for books and supplies must be covered by the student.
Website: http://www.piercecollege.edu/departments/industrial_technology/welding.asp
Address: 6201 Winnetka Ave. Woodland Hills, California 91371
Phone: (818) 710-4100
Los Angeles Trade Technical College
The full-time Certificate of Achievement in Welding Gas and Electric prepares students for an entry-level position in the field. Students must be able to commit at least 21 hours per week for theory and hands-on training in the lab. Required courses include Acetylene Welding, Cutting and Brazing, Welding Related Technical Instructions I, Applied Mathematics, Electric Welding, Blueprint Reading, Welding Related Technical Instruction, and Inert Gas Welding. Students will learn how to name and select appropriate hand and power tools to establish a portable oxyacetylene welding outfit, use welding equipment and jigs to set up and weld a Vee Grove, and apply proper procedures for calculation and measurements by sketching oblique, isometric and pictorial views. LATTC is a Certified Welding Test Center so students have the option to take the certification exam onsite. An associate degree will be awarded to students who complete the required general education coursework.
Program overview:
Welding Gas & Electrical Certificate of Achievement
Duration: 4 semesters
Units: 48
Prerequisites:
- Submit an application to LATTC online
- Attend a scheduled orientation
- Obtain a registration appointment and register for classes
Program cost:
Tuition costs $46 per unit for resident students. Expenses for books and supplies must be covered by the student.
Website: http://www.lattc.edu/
Address: 400 West Washington Blvd, Los Angeles 90015
Phone: (213) 763-7000
Fax: (213) 763-5393
College of the Canyons
The Welding Technology program offered by the College of the Canyons is a career education program that prepares students for entry-level employment in the welding and fabrication industry. The coursework will commence with basic welding fundamentals and proceed to technically advanced coursework. Students will acquire skills in safety procedures, metal fabrication, applied theory, and welding processes. The curriculum is aligned with the American Welding Society SENSE Entry Welder Program and taught by AWS Certified Welding Inspectors/Educators. Graduates can apply for welder certification from AWS, LADBS, and ASME.
Program overview:
Welding Technology Certificate of Achievement
Duration: 4 semesters
Units: 31
Prerequisites:
- Must be a high school graduate or equivalent. Must submit official transcripts
- Non-high school graduates must be 18 years or older and demonstrate the capability to profit from the instruction offered
- Must be 18 years of age or over
- File a formal application for admission with the Admissions and Records Office
- Must attend an online orientation
- Complete an assessment consultation with a counselor
Program cost:
Tuition costs $46 per unit for resident students. Expenses for books and supplies must be covered by the student.
Website: https://www.canyons.edu/academics/welding/certification/ladbs.php
Address: 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Phone: (661) 259-7800
Harbor Occupational Center
Harbor Occupational Center offers a sequence of Welding courses that culminate with preparation for the Los Angeles Departmental Welding Exam. Welding I covers technical instruction and practical experience in metal arc welding, oxyacetylene cutting, and trade math. Welding II covers advanced techniques in welding and cutting processes, advanced welding, plasma arc cutting, weld joints, and trade math. Welding I is a prerequisite to Welding II. Welding III covers advanced shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, groove welds, and emphasis on the requirements of the City of Los Angeles Departmental Welding Exam.
Program overview:
Welding I, II, III
Prerequisites:
- Must be high school age or older
- Applicants under 18 must obtain approval from a parent or guardian
- Pay the class fee and $10 for the school photo ID
Program cost:
Tuition costs $2,100 for Welding I, II, and III ($700 for each unit). Books and supplies are not included in the cost.
Website: http://harboroc.org/hoc-cte.html#building
Address: 740 North Pacific Avenue, San Pedro, CA 90731
Phone: (310) 241-4800
Fax: (310) 547-4974
Santa Ana College
Students enrolled in the Welding Technology program at Santa Ana College will receive comprehensive training in common types of welding. Students will obtain practical skills and technical knowledge required to operate welding tools and equipment. Instructors will cover preparation for certification for the welding industry. Required core courses includes Introduction to Welding, Structural Welding, Welding Metallurgy, Math/Blueprint Reading for Welders, and Advanced Electric Arc Welding.
Program overview:
Welding Technology Certificate of Achievement
Duration: 4 semesters
Units: 26
Prerequisites:
- Must be a high school graduate or equivalent. Must submit official transcripts
- Must be 18 years or older and can profit from instruction
- High school students can apply if qualified for Career Advanced Placement Program
- Submit a completed online application
Program cost:
Tuition costs $46 per unit for resident students. Expenses for books and supplies must be covered by the student.
Website: https://sac.edu/AcademicProgs/HST/Auto/Pages/Welding-Certifications.aspx
Address: 1530 W. 17th Street Santa Ana, CA 92706-3398
Phone: (714) 564-6000