(Acworth, Ga. – Feb. 5, 2015) Chattahoochee Technical College announced recently that it will be offering an introductory welding class at the Bartow County College and Career Academy.
The class will start on March 9 and run for eight weeks with classes on Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 to 9:30 each evening. The course, which allows students to earn 3 credit hours toward a diploma in Welding and Joining Technology from Chattahoochee Technical College, provides an introduction to welding technology with an emphasis on basic welding laboratory principles and operating procedures. Topics for the course include industrial safety and health practices, hand tool and power machine use, measurement, laboratory operating procedures, welding power sources, welding career potentials and introduction to welding codes and standards.
This class is the first of a series of classes in the Welding and Joining Technology Program at Chattahoochee Technical College. The diploma-level program consists of 50 credit hours of program level classes that have been taught at the college’s Appalachian Campus in Jasper and the Paulding Campus in Dallas.
According to Go Build Georgia, welding, the process of fastening two pieces of metal together by softening with heat and applying pressure, is a versatile trade that equips welders to work in a variety of industries. Several other construction trades, such as pipefitters, boilermakers and sheet metal workers, incorporate welding skills. Welding is also used to join beams during the construction of buildings, bridges and other structures. These tradesmen often work from blueprints, using their knowledge and training to determine the best way to join the parts. In 2012, the average annual wage in Georgia was $34,110 with most people making between $24,670 and $45,860.
To register for the class, prospective students will need to apply to the college and submit all required documents by Feb. 27. Welding students who are also eligible for the HOPE Grant program are eligible for the Strategic Industries Workforce Development Grant. This grant, which pays $125 to $500 a semester based on credit hours enrolled, can be applied toward tuition, fees, or other education-related expenses. Students may apply for financial assistance at Fafsa.ed.gov.
For more information, email Carla Smith at carla.smith@chattahoocheeTech.edu or call 770-606-5800 x3015.
