OVERVIEW

Program Overview

This 1-year program is eligible for a $20.000 scholarship.

Welding is a high-demand trade, one that is critical for the success of many major development projects in every province across the country. The Welding Techniques program prepares students with practical, hands-on experience that applies the technical theory and elements of the welding field. Our state-of-the-art welding lab includes 26 individual stations that allow students to train in a controlled environment, as well as our virtual welding stations that offer students the opportunity to practise using realistic simulations. The Smart Welding Lab also provides a monitor and specialized infrared camera that lets instructors demonstrate and digitally document welding techniques.

FULL DESCRIPTION

Employment opportunities in the welding trade span several industries, including transportation, petrochemical, oil and gas, aerospace, fabrication, manufacturing, pipelines, mining and construction.

George Brown’s Welding Techniques program prepares students with practical, hands-on experience that applies the technical theory and elements of the welding field. Students articulate their technical and essential employability skills through an e-portfolio, based on skill development throughout the program.

At the end of this intense, two-semester program, students will have the opportunity to challenge the shielded metal arc weld test, in accordance with CSA W47.1/W59 standards, in a position(s) of their choosing through the Canadian Welders Bureau. (This test will be voluntary and at an extra cost to the student.)

This experiential program will provide you with the skills to master five of the most common types of welding processes:

1. Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW): This process uses a consumable electrode covered with flux. It is the primary type of welding used in the maintenance and repair industry. Arc welding is usually used to weld iron and steel, although it can also be used for alloys (aluminum, nickel, etc.).
2. Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW): This welding process uses electricity to melt and join pieces of metal together. It is generally regarded as one of the easiest types of welding to learn. It is also called Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW). It can be used to weld a variety of metals such as carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, magnesium, copper, bronze, etc.
3. Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW): The process uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode that delivers the current to the welding arc. The tungsten and weld puddle are protected and cooled with inert gas, typically argon or helium. It is most commonly used for welding stainless steel and non-ferrous metals like aluminum, magnesium and copper alloys.
4. Plasma Arc and Oxyfuel Cutting: This process utilizes an electrode and compressed gas, forced at high speeds through a nozzle, usually copper, to cut metal, primarily mild steel, stainless steel and aluminum. Oxyfuel cutting uses fuel gases combined with oxygen to cut metals, usually steel.
5. Fabrication: Metal fabrication is the building of metal structures by cutting, bending, and assembling processes. It is a value-added process that involves the construction of machines and structures from various raw materials.

Program Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. Perform work responsibly and in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and industry processes and procedures, including demonstrating learned knowledge of WHMIS.
2. Interpret engineering drawings and blueprints to produce basic graphics and welding projects as required by industry.
3. Select, plan and demonstrate sustainable metal fabrication operations using industrial metal fabrication machinery and emerging technologies.
4. Perform basic technical measurements and welding functions accurately, using appropriate equipment and welding techniques.
5. Create welds on various types of materials and joints in the major welding positions to industrial standards and codes.
6. Use shop tools and equipment to manufacture, assemble, maintain and repair components according to required specifications and industry standards.
7. Interact effectively and professionally in shop environments, both independently and with fellow workers and other tradespeople.
8. Assess weld quality and implement corrective action where required to follow quality control and quality assurance procedures and meet organizational standards and requirements.
9. Create a professional development plan that addresses one’s strengths and areas for growth in the greater context of the welder profession.