Welding Foundation – Certificate

Program Details

Credential Received

Certificate in Welder Foundation and credit for Level 1 and Level 2 Welder plus 300 hours toward completion of Welder Apprenticeship.

Overview

Program Summary

The Industry Training Authority (ITA) in the province of BC currently recognizes and supports two streams for welder training, Modular and Apprenticeship. The Modular stream is for welders who do not have an employer sponsor and consists of the Foundation program (28 weeks), the Welder B program (16 weeks) and the Welder A program (8 weeks).

Welder Foundation

Regardless of the training model or stream that you want to follow, you can start with Welder Foundation and eventually achieve Inter-Provincial (Red Seal) Welder certification. Welder Foundation graduates will receive 300 hours of credit toward the work-based experience that is required for certification in either the Modular or the Apprentice stream. Those following the Apprenticeship stream will receive credit for Level 1 and Level 2 apprentice technical training and return to school as a Level 3 apprentice.

Welder Foundation is a 28-week introductory program that prepares learners for entry-level positions as apprentice welders in most sectors of the economy, including manufacturing, construction, transportation, resource extraction and resource development.

Students engage in a variety of classroom and shop activities. In the classroom, they learn theoretical principals of welding. Shop sessions provide the opportunity to learn processes and master practical welding skills. Students engage in a variety of classroom and shop activities. They will learn basic welding procedures, including Oxy-fuel Gas Cutting, Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Gas Metal Arc Welding/Flux Cored Arc Welding, basic Blueprint Reading and basic Metallurgy.

Modular Stream

Welder Foundation graduates who wish to follow the Modular stream will look for work as an entry-level welder and obtain an additional 700 hours of work-based experience for a total of 1,000 hours before returning to the Welder B program. Those on the Modular stream are not required to be indentured to their employer.

Program Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, learners will be able to:

1. Describe welder apprenticeship and the scope of the trade in BC
2. Describe safe working practices
3. Perform basic trade-related mathematical calculations
4. Use and maintain measuring and layout tools
5. Use and maintain hand tools
6. Use and maintain power tools (electric and pneumatic)
7. Describe shop materials
8. Apply lifting, hoisting and rigging procedures
9. Describe and use cutting and gouging processes
10. Describe and perform fusion and braze welding (TB) using the oxy-fuel (OFW) process
11. Describe and use the shielded metal arc-welding (SMAW) process
12. Describe and use semi-automatic and automatic welding
13. Describe the gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process and use it for ferrous metals and stainless steel
14. Describe production processes for manufacturing metals
15. Describe mechanical and physical properties of ferrous and non-ferrous metals
16. Describe common ferrous, non-ferrous and reactive metals and their weldability
17. Identify common welding symbols and bolted connections
18. Read and interpret drawings
19. Perform basic drafting
20. Interpret and apply mechanical drawings and layout components
21. Fabricate weldments
22. Perform costing and estimating functions

Program Admission Requirements

Academic Requirements

• Graduation from a British Columbia Senior Secondary School or equivalent
• Workplace Math 11, or Selkirk AUD Math 46, with minimum of 60% or better
• Consideration will be given to mature individuals (19 years or older) who are not senior secondary school graduates, provided they are working to complete the recommended education:
  
  • Grade 10 or equivalent including English 10, Mathematics 10
  • Grade 12 preferred
• All applicants are required to complete a computerized placement test using the College Readiness Tool (CRT) in reading, writing and mathematics once they have submitted their application.
• Employers may require higher level of Math as part of their hiring policies

Additional Requirements

• Physically fit, (mobility/lifting) good manual dexterity, hand-eye coordination, balance, work at heights and in adverse weather.
• Students must supply some hand tools, safety boots, leather wear and purchase module texts at a cost of approximately $600.
• A refundable tool deposit of $100 will be required at the start of the program.

Graduation and Promotion

In order to receive your credential in your program, you must maintain a minimum of 70% average.

Additional Program Policies