Welders operate welding equipment to weld ferrous and non-ferrous metals. This unit group also includes machine operators who operate previously set up production welding, brazing and soldering equipment.
Upon graduation from the welding schools, you will be employed by companies that manufacture structural steel and plate work, heavy machinery, boilers, aircraft, ships and other metal products that you know.
Apart from being employed by these companies, welders can be self-employed. Read on as we give details on the welding schools in Canada.
What are some job titles of welders?
- welder
- welder apprentice
- pressure vessel welder
- electric arc welder
- welder-fitter
- spot welder
- aviation welding technician
- journeyman/woman welder
- brazing machine operator
- brazing machine setter
- laser welding operator
- soldering machine operator
- production welder
- submerged arc welder
What are the duties of welders?
Most welders read and interpret blueprints or welding process specifications.
They operate manual or semi-automatic welding equipment to fuse metal segments using processes such as:
- gas tungsten arc welding(GTAW)
- gas metal arc welding(GMAW)
- Flux-cored arc welding(FCAW)
- Plasma arc welding(PAW)
- Shielded metal arc welding(SMAW)
- Oxy-acetylene welding(OAW)
- Resistance welding and submerged arc welding(SAW)
Welders operate manual or semi-automatic flame-cutting equipment.
Welders operate brazing and soldering equipment.
They also operate metal shaping machines such as brakes, shears and other metal straightening and bending machines.
Welders also repair worn parts of metal products by welding on extra layers.
Furthermore, welders may specialize in certain types of welding such as:
- custom fabrication
- ship building and repair
- aerospace precision welding
- Pressure vessel welding
- Pipeline construction welding
- Structural construction welding
- Machinery and equipment repair welding
Welding, brazing and soldering machine operators also do the following:
These operators set up welding machines such as spot, butt and seam resistance or gas and arc welding machines to fabricate or repair metal parts.
They also operate previously set up brazing or soldering machines in order to perfectly bond metal parts or to fill holes, indentations and seams of metal articles with solder.
They start up, shut down, adjust and monitor robotic welding production weld line.
Furthermore, they assist with the maintenance and repair of welding, brazing, and soldering equipment.
Sometimes they also adjust welding heads and tooling according to work specifications.
How to become a welder in Canada
To become a welder in Canada, you typically need the following:
- You need to complete your secondary school.
- Completion of a three-year apprenticeship program or a combination of over three years of work experience in the trade and some college or industry courses in welding is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.
- Trade certification is compulsory in Alberta and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces and the territories.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified welders upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Welding, brazing and soldering machine operators
- Secondary school education is required.
- Several months of on-the-job training are usually provided.
- Experience as a machine operator helper may be required.
- Experience with robotics may be required.
You might need to get a certification from a regulatory authority before you start working. Find out if this occupation is regulated in your province or territory here.
Is welding a good career in Canada?
Good welders are in demand and as the nation’s blue-collar workforce retires, there will be even more need for skilled trades like welders.
This also is because high schools in Canada have not promoted the trades as a strong career choice since the ’70s, resulting in a three-decade shortage of skilled young people in the trades.
Welding careers in Canada offer excellent wages.
That’s not all, welding in Canada will give you a strong sense of job pride and satisfaction.
With growing opportunities in the oil, gas, and mining industries, welding careers can provide exceptional income if you are willing to relocate.
Welding is one of the very few careers that can provide you with a six-figure income without a university degree.
Highly skilled welders that are willing to travel and who can be able to work under challenging conditions can earn well over $100,000.00 a year.
For example, travelling industrial pipe welders can earn anywhere between $50,000 and $185,000 a year.
How long does it take to become a welder in Canada?
The time it takes to earn these credentials depends on the type of welder training program and certification you’re looking for.
Typically, welding training ranges between 7 months and 3 years of hands-on instruction, depending on the program you choose.
If you’re considering becoming a welder, take a closer look at the educational requirements before moving on with it.
Generally, in terms of hours the time-frame to become competent in the trade of Welder is 6,000 hours (approximately three years) consisting of 5,280 hours of on-the-job work experience and 720 hours of in-school training. recognized by the industry as being essential to the practice of the trade
Cheapest welding course in Canada
Most of the cheapest welding course in Canada has programs that provide students with a wide range of skills that are needed to work as a first-year apprentice, including those related to safety, blueprint reading, plasma arc cutting/gouging, fuel brazing, shielded metal arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding, flux-cored arc welding and fabrication as well as many others.
Welding is a highly sought after the program and at most welding schools in Canada, there is a waitlist.
You could wait as long as 12 months for a seat in the program for the entry-level courses.
Canadians who are waiting to get into the program will end up getting on-the-job experience leading to the apprenticeship program.
Some of the best welding schools in Ontario and the courses they offer
This list of welding schools in Ontario has some good welding courses and that made us tag them as welding schools in Ontario.
- Humber College, Toronto, Ontario( Ontario College Certificate Welding Techniques)
- Loyalist College, Belleville, ON( Ontario College Diploma in Welding and Fabrication Technician)
- Durham College, Oshawa, Ontario( Diploma in Welding Engineering Technician – NEW)
- Cambrian College of Applied Arts and Technology, Sudbury, Ontario( Ontario College Diploma in Welding and Fabrication Technician (WFTN))
- Canadore College, North Bay, West Parry Sound, ON( Welder-Fitter – Mechanical Technician (Diploma))
- Conestoga College, Kitchener, Ontario( Ontario College Graduate Certificate in Applied Manufacturing Management with Specialisation in Welding, Diploma in Welding and Fabrication Technician, Certificate Course in Welding Techniques, Advance Diploma in Welding Engineering Technology-Inspection, Advance Diploma in Manufacturing Engineering Technology – Welding and Robotics)
Top 4 Underwater welding schools in Canada
In Canada, your diving options come from four major underwater welding schools.
They provide the best options for restricted and unrestricted diving around the world.
Each of these welding schools in Canada also provides certifications that are recognised worldwide through the Diver Certification Board of Canada (DCBC).
The following top four underwater welding schools in Canada are for welder-divers considering training. They are certain to give you the best bang for your buck.
What are the factors to consider while choosing any of the underwater welding schools?
- School Area
- Time in Program
- Instructors
- Cost
- Certifications
List of the Top 4 Underwater welding schools in Canada
- Divesafe International
- Canadian Working Divers Institute
- Seneca College
- Holland College
Divesafe International
On the west side of Canada, Divesafe International (DI) provides every sort of underwater construction training, from bridgework to inspections, burning and welding. Its riverside location is perfect to allow for a more realistic inland underwater welding experience.
DI’s commercial diving courses include NITROX and SCUBA. It offers certification for restricted surface supply diving (sorry offshore underwater welders). Many divers come here for recreational diving and certification in first aid as well.
Their courses run often, as much as 5 times a year.
Location: Campbell River, CA
Canadian Working Divers Institute
Beginning in 1993, the Canadian Working Divers Institute (CWDI) provides a strong program for divers.
Its training is about 50% classroom learning and studying and 50% application.
Application at CWDI takes students inside a realistic training facility, working with diving equipment, operating inside hyperbaric chambers and inspecting hydraulic control dams.
School schedules and training is intensive, but graduates receive certification recognized by major maritime organizations like the DCBC, Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA).
Other certifications received include the Restricted Radio Operator and Occupational Riggers certification.
Location: Buckhorn, CA
Seneca College
This institution’s “Underwater Skills” program teaches students the fundamentals of commercial diving. As with all underwater welding schools in Canada, they have some prerequisites:
- Dive Fitness physical
- SCUBA diving certification (recreational with at least 20 logged dives)
Beginning in early fall, you’ll study topics like underwater inspection, offshore repairs and welding.
Training takes place inside and outside in various bodies of water. King Campus has its own dive tank for training the next generation of underwater welders.
Upon program completion, graduates will receive certification recognized by the DCBC, IMCA and American Welding Society (AWS).
Seneca College has several financial aid options.
Location: King City, CA
Holland College
Here in Prince Edward Island province, newcomers can begin at the Holland College‘s facility: the Marine Training Centre.
Students are given the tools they need to succeed as welder-divers.
The costs of the program incorporate your equipment, tuition, health insurance, books and other materials.
Certification is recognized by IMCA and HSE, among others.
You’ll also receive certification in unrestricted surface supplied diving, allowing you to perform underwater welding and other commercial diving tasks in most places around the world.
Location: Summerside, CA
Now let us list some welding schools in Canada. Among them, you will find some of the best welding schools in Canada.
The list of some welding schools in Canada
The list below comprises Welding schools in Canada for international students and domestic students that specializes in Welding.
- General Welding School Ltd
- Canadian Welding Skills Inc.
- Institute of Technical Trades
- G R B College of Welding
- North American Trade Schools – London
- Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology
- Weldtech Training Inc.
General Welding School Ltd
This welding school was established in the year 1935. They have a unique approach of offering entirely hands-on, one-on-one learning under the watchful eye of a professional welder. Website.
Canadian Welding Skills Inc.
Canadian Welding Skills is registered as a private career college under the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005.
This is one of the welding schools in Canada that began in the year 1993.
They offer welding instruction to both entry-level welders in the registered ten and fifteen-week programs, as well as upgrades to experienced welders. Website.
Institute of Technical Trades
The Institute of Technical Trades has 4 welding training programs. It is one of the welding schools in Canada with welding classes in Toronto that provide training to students who wish to become skilled, successful welders or to enhance the skills of an experienced welder or hobbyist. Website.
G R B College of Welding
GRB College of Welding is one of the welding schools in Canada that is a private welding school, a welder training facility as well as a welder test centre.
They teach all levels of welding from the Pre-Employment welder to Journeyman to CWB and advanced B Pressure techniques.Website.
North American Trade Schools – London
This is one of the welding schools in Canada whose program provides students with a thorough hands-on and theoretical education in the welding field.
The program was developed in conjunction with the CWBi ACORN training program that has been designed to train employees who are job-ready for the current and future needs of the welding and joining the industry. Website.
Weldtech Training Inc.
At Weldtech, they offer specialized welding courses and programs that are tailored to your particular needs.
It doesn’t matter if it’s their corporate clients or individuals seeking to upgrade their skill set and learn new skills.
They will customize your welding course to meet your specific requirements.
Apart from these welding schools in Canada listed above, below are other institutions that have welding courses.
The list of 35 institutions in Canada offering welding degrees and courses
- Saskatchewan Polytechnic
- Lambton college
- Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
- Conestoga College
- George Brown College
- St. Lawrence College
- Southern Alberta Institute of Technology(SAIT)
- Sault College
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University
- Fanshawe College
- Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology
- Georgian College
- Fleming College
- Northern Lights College
- College of New Caledonia
- Algonquin College
- Canadore College
- College of New Caledonia
- Thompson Rivers University
- Algonquin College
- Selkirk College
- Aviron Quebec College Technique
- College of Rockies
- Cambrian College
- New Brunswick Community College
- Coast Mountain College
- Northern College
- Loyalist College
- Loyalist College in Toronto
- Humber College
- Confederation College
- Aviron Technical Institute
- Yukon University
- Niagara College
Employment Opportunities
Upon successful completion of the Welder (Pre-Employment) program, graduates may be eligible for employment (depending on specific hiring practices) in shipyards, paper mills, refineries, and fabrication shops.
Opportunities also exist for self-employment. A small sample of Academy Canada’s excellent employers include:
- Mercer’s Machine Shop
- Metal World
- Auto Weld
- Beothuck Trailers
- Newfoundland Dockyard
- EMM Hardchrome
- Dawes Welding and Sons
- LaFarge Gypsum
- Western Steel Works
- D.F. Barnes Ltd.
- TA Industrial Ltd, ON
- Metal Specialty
- Iron Workers Hall
- East Coast Marine
- Sealand Enterprise
- Atlantic Millwright
- Department of Transportation and Works
- OSCO Construction Group
Conclusion
Welding is a skilled work that plays important role in fusing the metal joints that are necessary for different kinds of jobs.
It is a skilled work that can lead to safety consequences if not done right.
These welding schools in Canada are there to train you. Check out the weekend welding courses if you already have a job.
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