Butte College Welding Student works on project

Welding

Forge a strong career in a high-demand industry with Butte College’s Welding program. Learn cutting-edge welding techniques and fabrication skills through hands-on training that prepares you for success in construction, manufacturing, and beyond.

Programs

Goal
Length
Flexibility
AS CA

Goal

Career or Transfer

Length

2.5-3.5 years

Flexibility

  • Main Campus
AS CA

Associate Degree or Certificate of Achievement in Welding Technology

The Welding Technology program prepares students to become certified welders under standards set by the American Welding Society, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and American Petroleum Institute, with certification exams available upon course completion. Success in the program requires basic math skills, good eyesight (with corrective lenses if needed), physical stamina for standing and bending, and the ability to work outdoors for extended periods. Training emphasizes blueprint reading, job layout, material cutting and bending, oxyacetylene torch use, and proficiency in shielded metal arc, flux core arc, MIG, and TIG welding, with opportunities to certify in these processes. The program is a two-semester sequence beginning each Fall, enrolling 50 students, and is currently impacted. Estimated costs range from $5,200 to $6,200, covering tuition, books, tools, and certification documentation, with financial aid available to eligible students. With additional GE graduates can attain an Associate Degree in Welding Technology.

Flexibility

The programs in this cluster are primarily available at Main Campus, where welding courses reliably run, though you'll want to plan ahead since not every required course is offered every term. You can fill in gaps by taking courses online or at another center, and general education requirements can be completed at any location or online. Meeting with a counselor to map out a personalized schedule is the best way to stay on track toward your degree or certificate.

How this flexibility note was generated

⚠ AI-generated content can be wrong. This note was produced by Claude (Anthropic) by synthesizing the individual program flexibility statements in this cluster. Verify against the per-program reports before relying on it. 
You are synthesizing a single cluster-level flexibility statement for a community college academic cluster (a group of related programs that share a department-page accordion).

CLUSTER
  Title: Welding Technology
  Programs in cluster: 2

PER-PROGRAM STATEMENTS
  • Welding Technology (AS Degree):
      You'll need to plan on attending Main Campus for most of your major's required coursework, since that's where the welding courses reliably run. You can fill in any gaps by taking courses online or at another center, and you can complete your general education requirements at any of our locations or online. Meet with a counselor to map out a schedule that works for your situation.
  • Welding Technology (Certificate of Achievement):
      You can complete the required courses for the Welding Technology certificate reliably at Main Campus, though you'll need to plan for a few gaps — not every required course is offered there every term. You'll want to work with a counselor to map out which courses you might need to take online or at another center to fill those gaps and stay on track.

WHAT TO WRITE
  Write 2 to 3 sentences that summarize the AVAILABILITY STORY shared by these programs. Most programs in a cluster will have similar availability — name the common pattern. Note distinct outliers ONLY if a program's availability story differs in a way that affects student decisions (e.g., one program is online-only, others are not).

  - Plain, student-facing language.
  - Refer to "the programs in this cluster" or "these programs" — don't list each program by name unless an outlier needs calling out.
  - If all programs share the same flexibility story, write one unified statement.
  - Do NOT list percentages, term codes, or jargon.
  - Lead with the most flexible/strongest availability and follow with caveats.
  - Refer to locations ONLY by official center names (Main Campus, Chico Center, Glenn Center, Skyway Center, Cosmetology Center, Online). NEVER use a city or town name — no Oroville, no Willows, and never "Chico" as a city. Write "at the Chico Center", never "in Chico" — even if a per-program statement below used a city name, do not repeat it.

OUTPUT
  Return ONLY the statement text. No preamble, no quotation marks, no markdown.
CC

Goal

Career

Length

1 semester

Flexibility

  • Main Campus
CC

Certificate of Completion in PowerPathway Gas Pipeline Welding

(Not Eligible for Financial Aid) The PowerPathway Gas Pipeline Welding certificate program prepares students to become certified welders under standards set by the American Welding Society, American Society of Mechanical Engineers and American Petroleum Institute. Certification examinations may be taken after completion of the courses. To be successful in this program, students need basic competence in mathematics, must possess good eyesight at least with corrective lenses, sufficient physical stamina to be able to stand and bend for long periods, and not to be bothered by extended exposure to the outdoors.

CC

Certificate of Completion in Welding Technology Level I

(Not Eligible for Financial Aid) The Welding Technology Level I Certificate introduces students to the fundamentals of welding and safety practices following standards set by the American Welding Society, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and American Petroleum Institute. This program prepares students for entry-level welding positions and future certification exams. To be successful, students should have basic math skills, good eyesight (with corrective lenses if needed), physical stamina to stand and bend for long periods, and the ability to work comfortably outdoors. High school students interested in this field are encouraged to take classes in math, industrial education, welding, and the physical sciences. Graduates gain foundational skills in reading blueprints, laying out jobs, cutting and bending materials, and performing basic welding processes.

CC

Certificate of Completion in Welding Technology Level II

(Not Eligible for Financial Aid) The Welding Technology Level II Certificate program builds upon the skills developed in Level I, advancing students’ knowledge and techniques in welding and fabrication. Students gain hands-on experience with industry-standard equipment and are prepared to take certification exams that can qualify them for more advanced welding roles. Certified welders are in high demand in manufacturing, construction, pipeline, and heavy equipment industries across California and beyond. With additional GE graduates may elect to earn an Associate Degree in Welding Technology.

Flexibility

Most programs in this cluster let you complete your general education requirements at any of our centers or online, giving you flexibility with scheduling. However, your welding-specific coursework is tied to either Main Campus or Skyway Center, so you'll need to plan around those locations for the core of your certificate work.

How this flexibility note was generated

⚠ AI-generated content can be wrong. This note was produced by Claude (Anthropic) by synthesizing the individual program flexibility statements in this cluster. Verify against the per-program reports before relying on it. 
You are synthesizing a single cluster-level flexibility statement for a community college academic cluster (a group of related programs that share a department-page accordion).

CLUSTER
  Title: Skill Builders
  Programs in cluster: 3

PER-PROGRAM STATEMENTS
  • PowerPathway Gas Pipeline Welding (Certificate):
      You'll need to be at Skyway Center for your required welding and pipeline coursework—that's where this program is based and where those classes run reliably. Your general education requirements can be completed at any of our centers or online, so you have flexibility there, but plan on Skyway Center for the core of your certificate work.
  • Welding Technology Level I (Certificate):
      You'll take your required welding coursework at Main Campus, where the full sequence has been reliably available. Your general education requirements can be completed at Main Campus, at the Chico Center, at Glenn Center, or Online—whichever works best with your schedule.
  • Welding Technology Level II (Certificate):
      You can complete the required coursework for Welding Technology Level II at Main Campus, where all the major courses you need have been reliably available. Your general education requirements can be finished at any of our centers or online, so you have flexibility there—but plan on Main Campus for your welding-specific courses.

WHAT TO WRITE
  Write 2 to 3 sentences that summarize the AVAILABILITY STORY shared by these programs. Most programs in a cluster will have similar availability — name the common pattern. Note distinct outliers ONLY if a program's availability story differs in a way that affects student decisions (e.g., one program is online-only, others are not).

  - Plain, student-facing language.
  - Refer to "the programs in this cluster" or "these programs" — don't list each program by name unless an outlier needs calling out.
  - If all programs share the same flexibility story, write one unified statement.
  - Do NOT list percentages, term codes, or jargon.
  - Lead with the most flexible/strongest availability and follow with caveats.
  - Refer to locations ONLY by official center names (Main Campus, Chico Center, Glenn Center, Skyway Center, Cosmetology Center, Online). NEVER use a city or town name — no Oroville, no Willows, and never "Chico" as a city. Write "at the Chico Center", never "in Chico" — even if a per-program statement below used a city name, do not repeat it.

OUTPUT
  Return ONLY the statement text. No preamble, no quotation marks, no markdown.
Department Welding
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Full Time Faculty

Daniel Mullen's Photo

Daniel Mullen

Automotive Technology Instructor
Joseph Gebbia's Photo

Joseph Gebbia

Welding Instructor
Russell Thomas's Photo

Russell Thomas

Welding Instructor
Christopher Armitage's Photo

Christopher Armitage

Welding Instructor
Miles Peacock's Photo

Miles Peacock

Welding Instructor
Seth Vader's Photo

Seth Vader

Welding Instructor
Dakoda McFall's Photo

Dakoda McFall

Welding Instructor
Logan Ziegenmeyer's Photo

Logan Ziegenmeyer

Welding Instructor

Associate Faculty

Pedro Boites's Photo

Pedro Boites

Welding Instructor

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Department Welding
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