Welding Schools in Virginia (Top Programs Listed)

Welding Schools in Virginia

If you are looking for career options and like working with your own hands, you should consider becoming a welder.

It’s an absolutely exciting and rewarding career.

Keep in mind that there are lots of welding certification schools in Virginia which means that you’ll be able to choose the one that meets your needs.

In this article, there are some useful tips, facts and a list of the best welding schools in Virginia.

Reasons for Becoming a Welder in Virginia

To say the truth there are numerous reasons for becoming a welder and every one has its own reasons.

Some individuals are interested in completing various challenges.

Other like working with their own hands on open air and so on.

Nevertheless, there are some reasons that are the same for most people.

One of the main reason for becoming a welder in Virginia is an incredible outlook for welders.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of job offers for welders grows constantly.

The data shows that by 2026 the number of offers will grow by 6%.

Keep in mind that there are some essential traits any welder should have.

If you want to work as a welder, you need to be:

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

Average Welder’s Salary in Virginia

A median salary of a welder throughout the country is about $39 390 per year or $21.90 per hour.

At the same time, the top 10% of welders throughout the USA earn about $62 100 annually.

Speaking of Virginia, a median welder’s salary is $45 440 per year or $21.85 per hour, while the top 10% of welders earn about $62 550 annually.

Top 35 Welding Certification Schools in Virginia

We’ve prepared for you the list of the best welding certification schools in Virginia.

Each school from the list below was approved by the American Welding Society’s SENSE Accreditation Program.

SchoolLocationContact InformationPhone Number
Adult Evening Technical Center/Richmond Technical Center2020 Westwood Avenue, Richmond, VA 23230 United StatesDanny Estrom(804) 780-6272
Arnold R Burton Tech Center1760 Blvd, Salem, VA 24153 United StatesChris Overfelt(540) 857-5000
Blue Ridge Technical Center280 Luray Avenue, Front Royall, VA 22630 United StatesErik Rosemeck(540) 635-7123
Botetourt Technical Education Center253 Poor Farm Rd, Fincastle, VA 24090 United StatesTroy Linkenhoker(540) 473-8376
Brunswick High School2171 Lawrenceville Plank Rd. Lawrenceville, VA 23868 United StatesNatasha Prosise(434) 848-2716
Byers Technical Institute2694 Glasgow Highway Buena Vista, VA 24416 United StatesRon Byers(540) 258-1028
C.S. Monroe Technology Center715 Childrens Center Rd SW, Leesburg, VA 20175 United StatesStacie Athrens-Mininberg(571) 252-2080
Fauquier High School Agriculture705 Waterloo Rd. Warrenton, VA 20186 United StatesSusan Hilleary(540) 422-7306
Flatwoods Job Corps Center2803 Dungannon Rd, Coeburn, VA 24230 United States(276) 395-3384
Floyd County High School721 Baker Street, Floyd, VA 24091 United StatesDoug Thompson(540) 745-9450
Franklin County High School700 Tanyard Road Rocky Mount, VA 24151 United StatesJean m. Capps(540) 483-0221
Hampton Roads Skills Center925 48th Street, Newport News, VA 23607 United StatesDr. Johnny McNair Jr.(757) 493-1794
John Handley High School425 Handley Blvd., P.O. Box 910, Winchester, VA 22604 United StatesSteve Robeson(540) 662-3471
John Tyler Community College13101 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Chester, VA 23831 United StatesMatthew D. Gross(804) 706-5140
Mountain Empire Community College3441 Mountain Empire Rd, Big Stone Gap, VA 24219 United StatesPaul F. Gilley(276) 523-2400
New Horizon Regional Educational Center520 Butler Farm Rd, Hampton, VA 23666 United StatesBruce Schafer(757) 766-1100
New River Community CollegeRoute 100, P.O. Box 1127, Dublin, VA 24084 United StatesMark Gilbert(540) 674-3600 xt. 4314
Pittsylvania Career & Tech Center11700 U.S. Highway 29, Chatham, VA 24531 United StatesCL Scarce(804) 432-9416
Potomac Senior High School3401 Panther Pride Dr, Dumfries, VA 22026 United StatesSimon Bhagwandeen(703) 441-4319
Pulaski County High School5414 Cougar Trail Rd., Dublin, VA 24084 United StatesBobby Petty(540) 643-0747
Reynolds Community College- Goochland Campus1851 Dickinson Rd. Goochland, VA 23063 United StatesMike Vaughan(804) 371-3000
Roanoke Tech Educational Center2200 Grandin Rd, S.W., Roanoke, VA 24015 United StatesSandi Johnson(540) 853-2803
Rowanty Technical Center20000 Rowanty Rd, Carson, VA 23830 United StatesBryan Clements(434) 246-5741
Salem High School400 Spartan Drive, Salem, VA 24153 United StatesJoshua Graham(540) 387-2437
Smithfield High School14171 Turner Drive Smithfield, VA 23430 United StatesHeather Tuck(757) 357-3108
Smyth Career & Technology Center147 Fox Valley Road, Marion, VA 24354 United StatesWade Kestner(276) 646-8117
Southside VA Community College-Daniel200 Daniel Rd, Keysville, VA 23947 United StatesTerry Clarke(434) 736-2000
T.H. Badger Tech Center8210 Lankford Hwy Pob 69, Oak Hall, VA 23416 United StatesGlenn Muhle Jr.(757) 824-4659
Tazewell County Career & Tech Center100 Advantage Dr., Tazewell, VA 24651 United StatesMorgan Owens(276) 988-2529
The Pruden Center For Industry And Technology4169 Pruden Blvd Suffolk, VA 23434 United StatesThomas Shirk(757) 925-5651
U.S. Army Ordnance School420 Aberdeen Ave, Fort Lee, VA 23801 United StatesPatrick Maquire(804) 734-8433
Valley Vocational-Technical Center49 Hornet Road, Fishersville, VA 22939 United StatesJason Hall(540) 245-5002
Virginia Beach Technical and Career Education Center2925 North Landing Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23456 United StatesJames Jones(757) 648-5850
Washington County Adult Skill Center Virginia848 Thompson Drive, Abingdon, VA 24210 United StatesKenneth Lifton(276) 628-1870
Washington County Career And Technical Center255 Stanley St. Abingdon, VA 24210 United StatesBrian Johnson(276) 739-3110

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

Popular Degree Programs

Welding in Virginia: Clue Facts

If you are thinking of becoming a welder in Virginia, you need to learn more about this career.

It will allow you to get a better understanding of this profession and your future duties.

Moreover, it will let you understand your classes faster.

Welding is a process of joining metal pieces together using fire and heat.

Of course, it sounds simple but still, it’s a difficult job.

Welders create numerous projects that can be tiny or even enormous.

If you want to become a welder, you should be strong both physically and mentally.

Also, you need to be good at reading blueprints and instructions.

Depending on project requirements, welders choose the most suitable welding methods and equipment.

Most Popular Welding Methods

There are more than 100 of welding methods but most of them aren’t frequently used.

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.

Similar Career Options in Virginia

In fact, there is a number of careers that are similar to welding.

Nevertheless, soldering and brazing are the most similar options.

Unlike brazing and soldering, welding doesn’t use any additional materials to connect metal pieces.

Soldering and brazing require lower temperatures (below 850 degrees Fahrenheit/450 degrees Celsius).

Both processes are based on the usage of the so-called fillers that are used to connect metal pieces.

Considering the fact that brazing needs higher temperatures it allows producing stronger constructions.

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

Now, as you’ve learned about welding, it’s easier to make a final decision.

Just make sure you’ve learned properly all the available training programs before choosing one.

We wish you luck and hope you’ll be able to start your successful career.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you weld over a weld?

It is entirely possible — in fact, common — to weld over a weld.

After all, multi-pass welds are made by welding over welds.

Many accepted procedures involve welds overlapping with each other.

For example, split tee connections require that welds cover the original pipeline fabrication welds.

Do you push or pull when MIG welding?

When MIG welding, you should push the wire.

This is not the case for all types of welding, however.

When welding with a stick or flux-core wire welder, for example, you have to drag the wire or rod.

In fact, John Leisner of Miller Electric once said, “If it produces slag, you drag.”

How thick should my weld be?

As a rule of thumb, your weld should be about 1.5 times the thickness of the material that is being welded.

For example, if you are welding pieces that have a thickness of 3 millimeters, the weld thickness should be about 4.5 millimeters

USA Welding Schools by City


USA Welding Schools by State


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