Welding Schools in South Carolina (Top Programs Listed)

Welding Schools in South Carolina

This article was created for individuals who decided to become a welder in South Carolina.

Here you can find not only a list of the best welding schools in the state but also some additional info.

Learn about welding basics, methods, job opportunities and salary options.

Welding in South Carolina: Clue Facts

Before making your final decision, it’s a good idea to learn about some basics of welding.

It will help you to understand this profession better and make an objective decision.

That’s why we’ve prepared for you some useful info so you can learn more about welding.

Significant Welder’s Characteristics

It’s clear that any career requires some specific personality traits and, of course, welding is no exception.

There are some traits that are absolutely essential if you want to be a good welder.

In order to become a good welder, you need to be:

  • Detail oriented;
  • Technical skills;
  • Physical strength;
  • Physical stamina;
  • Manual dexterity;
  • Spatial-orientation skills.

Of course, you may not meet all the requirements but it shouldn’t disappoint you.

You can improve yourself and develop the skills you lack off so just work hard.

Welding vs Soldering vs Brazing

Welding – it’s a process of joining metal pieces together with the help of heat and fire.

Welders use various methods and tools to perform their job but still, they don’t need any additional materials.

At the same time, there are soldering and brazing that is pretty similar but they require some additional elements that are called fillers.

Also, soldering and brazing require 850 degrees Fahrenheit or lower heat while welding requires higher temperature rates.

You should know that brazing allows creating stronger constructions then soldering.

Welding Certification

If you want to become a welder, it’s not enough to complete your training.

You need to pass some tests to get your certification.

All the certification tests are designed by the American Welding Society (AWS).

Nowadays, there are 11 types of welding certifications established by AWS:

  • Certified Welder;
  • Senior Certified Welding Inspector;
  • Welding Inspector;
  • Welding Engineer;
  • Associate Welding Inspector;
  • Welding Supervisor;
  • Welding Educator;
  • Welding Sales Representative;
  • Radiographic Interpreter;
  • Robotic Arc Welding;
  • Reciprocity Program.

Most Popular Welding Methods

Among the most popular welding methods there are:

  • Shielded Metal Arc Welding (Stick);
  • Plasma Arc Welding;
  • Flux-Cored Welding;
  • Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG);
  • Tungsten Inert Gas Welding (TIG);
  • Gas or Oxy-Acetylene Welding.

Of course, it’s only some of the welding methods as there are more than 100 of them.

At the same time, the most widely used methods are Stick, MIG, and TIG.

Where Can Certified Welders Work in South Carolina?

There is the whole bunch of industries where certified welder can work in South Carolina.

There are such options as:

  • Construction of buildings and bridges;
  • Manufacturing;
  • Aerospace applications;
  • Gas & oil field power plants and refineries;
  • Shipbuilding;
  • Auto & motorcycle fabrication and repair.

Top 22 Welding Certification Schools in South Carolina

There is a list of the best welding certification schools in the state of South Carolina.

In total, there are 22 schools that are approved by the American Welding Society’s SENSE Accreditation Program.

Each school from the list provides such classes as Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (TIG), Shielded Metal Arc Welding (stick), or Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG) and others.

The main requirements is a high-school diploma or GED but there are some schools that accept high-school juniors.

SchoolLocationContact InformationPhone Number
Aiken County Career Tech Center2455 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Warrenville, SC 29851 United StatesKevin Rawlins(803) 593-7300
Aiken Tech CollegeP.O. Drawer 696, Aiken, SC 29802 United StatesJean Palmer(803) 593-9231
Applied Technology Education Campus (ATEC)874 Vocational Lane, Camden, SC 29020 United StatesJoel A Smith(803) 425-8982
Bamberg Job Corp Center200 S Carlisle St, P.O. Box 967, Bamberg, SC 29003 United StatesWanda Nettles(803) 245-5101
Beauford-Jasper Career Education Center80 Lowcountry Drive, Ridgeland, SC 29936 United StatesDr. Catherine Smith(843) 987-8107
Brookland- Cayce High School1300 State Street, Cayce, SC 29033 United StatesLaird Thompson(803) 791-5000
Central Carolina Tech College506 N. Guignard Dr., Sumter, SC 29150 United StatesJim Schrift(803) 778-1961
Chester County Career Center1324 JA Cochran By-Pass Chester, SC 29706 United StatesLee Green(803) 377-1991
Cope Area Career Center6052 Slah Landing Road, Cope, SC 29038 United StatesKeith Edgington(803) 534-7661
Florence Career Center126 E. Howe Springs Rd. Florence, SC 29505 United StatesJames Pratt(843) 664-8465
Heyward Career and Tech Center3560 Lynhaven Dr, Columbia, SC 29204 United StatesDavid H. Prigge(803) 735-3343
Horry-Georgetown Technical College2050 Highway 501 East Conway, SC 29526 United StatesErnest Cribb(843) 347-3186
Lexington Technology Center2421 Augusta Highway, Lexington, SC 29072 United StatesKevin Gratton(803) 821-3000
Lower Richland High School2615 Lower Richland Blvd, Hopkins, SC 29061 United StatesLorrie Hill(803) 695-3000
Midlands Tech College-Airport1260 Lexington Drive, West Columbia, SC 29170 United StatesRay Thomas(803) 822-3045
Newberry County Career Center3413 Main St, Newberry, SC 29108 United States(803) 321-2674
Palmetto Training Inc.1085 Thunderbolt Drive Walterboro, SC 29488 United StatesEddie Jackson(843) 538-2990
South Aiken High School232 East Pine Log Rd, Aiken, SC 29803 United StatesOscar Rushton(803) 641-2100
Swansea High Welding Department500 East First Street Swansea, SC 29160 United StatesCraig Baker(803) 490-7007
Trident Technical CollegeP.O. Box 118067, Charleston, SC 29423 United StatesRonald L Vann(843) 574-6111
Wagener-Salley High School272 Main Street South Wagener, SC 29164 United StatesUte Aadland(803) 564-1100
York Technical College452 South Anderson Road, Rock Hill, SC 29730 United StatesJC Clade803-385-5884

Keep in mind that the information in the table may change so we recommend you to doublecheck it. 

Underwater Welding Certification Schools in South Carolina

To begin with, there are only a few underwater welding schools in the USA.

In fact, there are only 9 of them and one of these schools is located in the state of South Carolina.

Popular Degree Programs

Average Welder’s Salary in South Carolina

To begin with, you should know that welding has an amazing outlook in South Carolina.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of job offers for welders will grow by 6% by 2026.

A median welder’s salary in South Carolina is about $42 060, while throughout the country it’s about $39 390 per year.

Similar Career Options in South Carolina

If you’re interested in welding, you may also like some other technical careers.

Most of the schools from the list above offer a number of other training programs.

It means that if you aren’t interested in welding but look for similar options, you may find a bunch of similar options.

These options may as well interest you:

  • Electrical Lineworker;
  • Boilermakers;
  • Sheet Metal Workers;
  • Mechanical Maintenance Technology;
  • Soldering & Brazing.

Welding Safety Tips

Welding is a dangerous job and there are lots of safety rules that welders should follow.

There are some of them:

  1. Read all the instructions properly. There are a number of important warnings in equipment manuals and reading them, you can guarantee your safety and prevent a number of accidents.
  2. Buy high-quality welding gear. It’s important to use the best auto-darkening welding helmet, gloves, glasses, jacket, and shoes. Also, don’t forget to protect your skin from heat properly.
  3. Be mindful of the environment. It means that you should keep the area clean, tidy, and well-ventilated.

Conclusion

We hope this article was really helpful for you as there is a bunch of useful info.

Also, you can use the welding schools list to find the program that suits your needs most of all.

Just make sure you’ve learned all the info and start your path to your successful career.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to become a traveling welder?

If you want to become a traveling welder, you must have at least one year of welding experience behind you and a driver’s license.

It would also benefit you to know how to operate forklifts and other heavy-duty equipment.

Some companies might have a physical fitness requirement to ensure their welders can work under harsh conditions.

Others may have a special set of requirements for welders and may request that applicants undergo extensive training.

In order to succeed as a traveling welder, you need to be skilled in mechanics and know-how to identify and fix a variety of issues.

What type of gas does a MIG welder use?

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most common reactive gas for MIG welding.

That is because it is the only gas that does not require the addition of inert gas. CO2, which can be used in its purest form, also happens to be among the least expensive gases, making it a hugely popular choice among gases.

How long does it take to be a certified welder?

Considering that vocational training takes 7-12 months and that welding certification takes 6-8 months, becoming a certified welder can take anywhere from 13 to 20 months.

Welding certification can be obtained through the American Welding Society (AWS), which offers many types of certifications, including Certified Welder (CW) and Certified Welding Inspector (CWI).

USA Welding Schools by City


USA Welding Schools by State


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