1 Best Welding Schools in McAllen, TX

About the School

McAllen Careers Institute is an educational institution that provides programs designed to develop their students’ skills and credentials and make them competitive in the labor market.

Their campus sits on a 25,000-square-foot space that houses administrative offices, education offices, a resource center, a student break area, classrooms, and welding shop labs.

They hold accreditations, approvals, and licenses from various bodies, including:

• Texas Workforce Commission Career Schools and Colleges
• The Council of Occupational Education
• The American Welding Society as an Accredited Testing Facility
• Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehab Department
• Migrant Educational Training
• Texas Veterans Commission
• National Center for Construction Education & Research

They are also a member of the following organizations:

• McAllen Chamber of Commerce
• Brownsville Chamber of Commerce
• Harlingen Chamber of Commerce
• RGV Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Weslaco Chamber of Commerce

Taught by Master NCCER Trainers and AWS Certified Field Professionals, their classes are a mix of lessons and hands-on training.

Their goal is to ensure that their students are fully ready to take the leap and establish their careers in their chosen fields.

Courses Offered

There are 8 Welding Certificate Programs offered: Welder Specialist, Combo Pipe Welder, Stick & Pipe Welding, Pipefitting, Welder/Pipefitter, Pipefitting Specialist, Pipe Welding, and Structural Fitter.

Welder Specialist:

• This program opens careers in pipe welding, pipe fitting, welding fabrication, oil refineries, and other welding-related positions.
• It covers steps and procedures involved in shielded metal arc welding, pipe welding, gas tungsten arc welding, and flux core arc welding.
• It requires 900 total contact hours and takes 36 weeks or 9 months to complete.
• Tuition and fees cost $16,300.

Combo Pipe Welder:

• This program is suitable for students wanting to pursue jobs in pipe welding, pipe fitting, welding fabrication, and other welding-related careers.
• It focuses on teaching skills and competencies in TIG welding, weld symbols, gouging, oxy-fuel cutting, and other pipe welding processes.
• It has 300 total contact hours.
• Tuition and fees cost $7,760.

Stick & Pipe Welding:

• This program features hands-on experience to prepare students to work in pipe fitting, pipe welding, welding fabrication, and other welding-related careers.
• It teaches knowledge, attitudes, skills, and competencies in different welding processes, such as shielded metal arc welding and oxy-fuel cutting.
• It also trains students in blueprint reading, fabrication, layout, oxy-fuel gas and electric arc metal cutting equipment handling, and welding safety.
• It requires 200 total contact hours and takes 8 weeks or 2 months to complete.
• Tuition and fees cost $6,350.

Structural Fitter:

• This program is the first step to becoming a fitter.
• It covers basic job site safety information, common causes of workplace incidents and accidents, and ways to avoid them.
• Upon completion, it prepares students to test for an NCCER Structural Fitter Level 1 test to become a Certified Structural Fitter.
• It requires a total of 250 contact hours.
• Tuition and fees cost $5,350.

Pipefitting:

• This program teaches necessary skills for entry-level positions in Pipefitting, Steamfitting, and industrial facilities.
• It takes 12 weeks or 3 months to complete and requires 300 total contact hours.
• Tuition and fees cost $6,100.

Pipefitting Specialist:

• This program is suitable for those who want a career in Pipefitting.
• It covers installing piping systems, and assembling, fabricating, testing, maintaining, and repairing pipelines.
• It takes 36 weeks or 9 months to complete and requires 900 total contact hours.
• Tuition and fees cost $17,900.

Pipe Welding:

• This program opens opportunities to work as Stainless Steel Welders, welder helpers, fabricators, boilermakers, pipe welders, maintenance technicians, pipe fitters, and oil field-related positions.
• It covers steps and procedures in carbon steel fitting and welding and TIG welding.
• It requires 600 total contact hours and takes 24 weeks or 6 months to complete.
• Tuition and fees cost $12,900.

Welder/Pipefitter:

• This program helps students prepare for their pursuit of careers as pipe welders, welding fabricators, and other welding-related jobs.
• It covers oxy-fuel cutting, TIG welding, weld symbols, gouging, different types of piping systems, many kinds of pipes, and industry tools and equipment.
• It requires 600 hours and takes 24 weeks or 6 months to complete.
• Tuition and fees cost $12,900.

Classes are available Monday to Friday, from 7 am to 1 pm, 1 pm to 6 pm, and 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm.

To enroll, the requirements are a high school diploma or GED, a filled-out enrollment application form, an interview with an admission representative, and a tour of the school facility.