Certified, skilled welders continue to be in demand in the construction industry and in all petroleum-related, mining and heavy equipment industries. Graduates of AVTEC’s Industrial Welding Program hold good jobs in a wide variety of working settings. In short, Alaskan employers are always looking for highly trained welders–especially for those who are willing to work under occasionally adverse conditions. The goal of the Industrial Welding Program is to enable the student to earn nationally recognized industry certifications. To earn the AVTEC Industrial Welding Program certificate with the highest level of achievement, students must prepare for and earn the following industry certifications: Structural Certification to AWS Unlimited Thickness, and Pipe Certification to ASME section IX, 6G Pipe. Certified pipe welders continue to be in demand in the petroleum industry. Pipes are used to transport commodities in Alaska, and they are also used to build structures. The different applications of pipe afford pipe welders the opportunity to apply their skills in a variety of work settings. With the Alaska Gas Pipeline on the horizon, trained welders will be in even greater demand. The Industrial Welding Program emphasizes steel welding; however, all students are expected to become knowledgeable of procedures for welding on nonferrous materials such as aluminum. Primary focus is on stick electrode welding: students train on Sheet Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) stick electrode, Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) and Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) wire feed processes, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) Tungsten Inert Gass (TIG), Plasma Arc and Air Arc cutting, Oxyacetylene Welding, and cutting machines. Destructive tests are performed on groove welds in both the stick and wire feed processes. An introduction to Non-Destructive testing is an integral part of the program. The AVTEC Welding shops are equipped with state of the art cutting and welding equipment, including computerized plasma cutting machines for plate and pipe.