After our post on Tuesday about the many different options you have with a career in welding, it’s only fitting for us to continue our series of Nebraska community college program spotlights with a great welding program.

Southeast Community College’s  is one of the best around. It’s accredited through the –one of the only programs in the area with such an accreditation–and in addition, Southeast Community College ranked #2 in the U.S. in the number of Precision Production graduates.

Here’s what you need to know:

The Welding Program at SCC

Students interested in the welding program at Southeast Community college can choose between three options:

• An AAS in welding: The Associate’s of Applied Sciences in welding takes 121 hours to complete (including 98.5 hours of welding courses), and is the most advanced of the options listed here. Students who graduate with an AAS will be qualified/certified to a national code through this facility upon graduation.
• A welding certificate: A welding certificate takes 36 hours to complete (31.5 hours of welding plus one general education course) and will teach students the basic skills they need to start a career in welding after graduation.
• A welding diploma: The welding diploma requires 77 hours to complete (68 hours of welding and 9 hours of general education), and is a more advanced version of the certificate, offering graduates more advanced skills they need to work in welding after graduation.

Although students who choose the AAS in welding will likely have the most job selection upon graduation–they take the most courses, and will have a bit more experience with more advanced techniques–both the certificate and diploma also offer perfectly legitimate ways to enter into the job market as a welder.

If you live in the area (all Southeast Community College courses in the welding program will be taught at Lincoln in 2014) and are interested in a career as a welder, Southeast is definitely a great place to start.

Examples of Welding Courses at SCC

Welding courses at Southeast Community College are plentiful. Take a look at a few examples:

• SMAW Theory: Study of Shielded Metal Arc Welding theory, safety, applications, procedures, and welding practices. Study and selection of power sources and electrodes.
• Metallurgy I: Study of the production of metals, methods of identification, properties of metals, methods of metallurgical examination, mechanical testing and chemistry of welding.
• GTAW: Welding of stainless steel and aluminum with the Gas Tungsten Arc Welding process in all positions and on various joint configurations.

There are a lot of courses to choose from, and the AAS in welding will leave you graduating with a very diverse welding skillset–making you very employable.

SCC has a section of their website called “You’re a good fit for this program because…” for welding, where they say what it takes to be a successful welder:

• Good spatial relations ability (can visualize what a two-dimensional drawing will look like in three dimensions and vice versa)
• At least average geometry and basic trigonometry skills
• At least average mechanical abilities
• Enjoys working with hands, hand tools and machinery
• Good communication skills (is able to understand and follow written and verbal instructions; can verbally communicate well with the supervisor, fellow workers, contractors, architects, suppliers, subcontractors, etc.)
• Is a patient worker (welding is not done well in haste)
• Doesn’t mind getting dirty
• Can work well within precise limits or standards of accuracy
• Likes to see the physical results of one’s labor
• Is willing to function as a member of a team of workers

If you think you have the skills listed here and want to pursue a career in welding, Southeast Community College’s welding program is a great place to be. A career in welding can be very rewarding and can pay very well, so if you think it might be for you, don’t hesitate to give it a shot.

If you have any questions about this program or any of the others we’ve featured, let us know in the comments or . We’re always here to answer your questions!

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