High School Welding & Fabrication
Welcome to the Industrial Arts Institute’s high school welding program! Our two-year program provides a blend of hands-on experience and classroom instruction in welding, metal fabrication, and fundamental blueprint reading. This training will prepare students for their next level of advanced post-secondary education, leading to lucrative opportunities in the welding industry.
2025 | 2026 Academic School Year
First semester: September 10 – December 17, 2025. (**No class on December 10, 2025)
Second semester: January 21 – April 29, 2026.
Welding instruction will occur on Wednesdays, 7:45 AM to 2:00 PM
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LEVEL ONE: WELDING & FABRICATION: 1st year (two semesters)
-Welding Safety & Operation of Shop Equipment
-Oxyacetylene and Manual Plasma Cutting Techniques
-Precision Measurement & Shop Mathematics
-Techniques for Welding Joints, X-Block, and Fillet welds with steel
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding
- Gas Metal Arc Welding
- Flux Cored Arc Welding
-Introduction to Blueprint Reading and Weld Symbols
-Introduction to Welding Automation: Collaborative Welding Robot
-Fundamentals of Metal Fabrication: Projects and Weldments
-Overview of American Welding Society Standards; Fillet Break Test
LEVEL TWO: WELDING & FABRICATION: 2nd year (two semesters)
-Review & Advanced Welding Safety and Shop Equipment Operation:
– Mechanized Plasma Cutting
– Blueprint Reading
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Groove Welds
- Gas Metal Arc Welding; Groove Welds; steel and aluminum
- Flux Cored Arc Welding: Groove Welds
- Gas Tungsten Arc Welding: Fillet and Introduction to Groove Welds
– Advanced Welding Automation: Collaborative Welding Robots
– Advanced Metal Fabrication
– Industry Credentials: American Welding Society; Welder Qualification Testing
Additional Enrollment Information
Eligibility: Accepting juniors and seniors, and with prior approval, second-semester sophomores. To enroll, you must first get your school representative’s approval and apply online on the Industrial Arts Institute’s website.
Personal Protective Clothing Policy: Students will receive a welding equipment kit with a welding helmet, jacket, gloves, safety glasses, and hearing protection. Steel-toed leather boots are mandatory. Students must wear long-sleeved cotton shirts and jeans with cuffs that can be worn outside the steel-toed boots.
Increment Weather Policy. IAI does not cancel classes for inclement weather unless there is a power outage. However, if your school or our local Onaway High School is closed or delayed due to bad weather, there will be no IAI High School welding classes on that day.
Attendance Policy: We emphasize the importance of a strong work ethic in our program, which is vital for success in the welding and fabrication industry. Consistent attendance is critical for achieving program goals and maintaining enrollment, and it will significantly impact students’ grades.
Scholarships Available for Advanced Training at the Industrial Arts Institute: High school students who excel in this program will have the opportunity to receive scholarships for enrollment in advanced post-secondary training at the Industrial Arts Institute, the Comprehensive Industrial Welding & Fabrication program, which will lead to a lucrative welding career.
