If you want to become a welder in Pennsylvania, you’ll be happy to learn that there are lots of welding schools in the state.
It means that you have enough options to choose from in order to get the best training for your future career.
Also, it should be mentioned that welding has an incredible outlook in Pennsylvania.
In this article, you’ll be able to find not only the list of schools but also some useful tips for future welders.
Article Table of Contents
How to Become a Welder in Pennsylvania
If you’ve decided to become a welder in Pennsylvania, you are going to make a plan to achieve your goal.
It can be difficult to reveal what are the essential steps so we’ve prepared a short guide for you.
There are some crucial steps you need to take to achieve your goal:
- Learn some basics about the welding process. In order to understand the job better, watch some videos and read articles about welding. Also, if you have some friends and relatives working in the sphere, it will be a good idea to ask some questions.
- Reveal and evaluate your personal strengths. To work as a welder, you need to be strong and healthy. Also, there are some personal characteristics that are absolutely important. You should have excellent spatial orientation skills and manual dexterity. Moreover, you should be able to work independently and even have some artistic skills. If you don’t have at least most part of these features than welding can be not the best career for you. Nevertheless, if you have a determination then it can be not an issue.
- Choose the best training program. As soon as you’ve made a decision to become a welder, you need to look for the best program that suits your preferences. In this article, you can get info about the best welding certification schools in the state.
- Get your certification. To become a welder, you need not only to complete your training but as well pass the test in order to get your certification. Consider the fact that it should be taken at an accredited welding testing facility.
- Maintain your certification. After getting your certification, you should maintain it constantly. In order to do it, you need to fill out certain paperwork twice a year.
Welding in Pennsylvania: Clue Facts
Before making a final decision, we highly recommend you to learn at list some basics of welding.
There is you can find some important facts about welding and career challenges in Pennsylvania.
What is Welding?
If we try to explain what is welding in simple words, we can say that it’s a process of joining metal pieces heating and melting it.
To accomplish their job, welders use various tools and methods.
Welding vs Soldering vs Brazing
As it was said before, welding – it’s heating and melting metal pieces so they can be fused.
The main point is that welders don’t use any additional substances to join metal pieces.
It’s the main point why soldering and brazing differ greatly.
Both these methods use so-called fillers to connect metal elements.
Soldering and brazing need 850 degrees Fahrenheit/450 degrees Celsius to melt filler.
Welder’s Roles and Duties in Pennsylvania
There are 4 the most significant responsibilities any welder should perform daily:
- Studying and understanding specific sketches, blueprints, and instructions. Also, a welder should be able to follow all these instructions properly.
- Raw structure/material analysis in order to determine appropriate methods required for an excellent result. There are about 100 welding methods such as gas tungsten arc welding, shielded metal arc welding, or gas metal arc welding.
- Usage of appropriate tools depending on the chosen method.
- Maintaining equipment and tools so it meets all the requirements. There is a variety of different types of tools including electric and manual equipment. Sometimes, welders should be able to use numerous combination of tools to perform their job properly.
Most Popular Welding Methods
Among the most popular 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.
Average Welder’s Salary in Pennsylvania
There are lots of job offers for welders in Pennsylvania which means that you can find a job right after graduation easily.
Of course, you’re interested in how much you can earn working as a welder in Pennsylvania.
We’ve made some research and prepared specific data for you.
A median welder’s salary throughout the USA is about $39 390 per year while a median welder’s salary in Pennsylvania – $42 150.
Speaking of the top 10% welders, in Pennsylvania, they earn about $59 440 annually.
At the same time, throughout the country, they earn about $62 100 per year.
Top 49 Welding Certification Schools in Pennsylvania
There is a list of the best welding certification schools in Pennsylvania.
It contains some contact data as well.
School | Location | Contact Information | Phone Number |
---|---|---|---|
Berks Career & Tech Center-West | 1057 County Welfare Rd, Leesport, PA 19533 United States | Erik Damgaard | (610) 374-4073 |
Bethlehem Area Vocational Tech Center | 3300 Chester Ave, Bethlehem, PA 18020 United States | Brian Williams | (610) 866-8013 |
Bucks County Tech School | 610 Wistar Rd, Fairless Hills, PA 19030 United States | William C Cronin | (215) 949-1700 |
Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School | 210 Campus Lane, Butler, PA 16001 United States | Kurt Speicher | (724) 282-0735 |
Butler County Community College | 107 College Drive, Butler, PA 16002 United States | Tracie Nehilla | (724) 287-8711 |
Carbon County Area Vocational Tech | 150 W 13 St, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229 United States | Lyly Augustine | (717) 325-3682 |
Career Institute of Technology | 5335 Kesslersville Rd, Easton, PA 18048-6799 United States | Eric Kahler | (610) 258-2857 |
Career Tech Center-Lackawana | 3201 Rockwell Ave, Scranton, PA 18508 United States | Nick Harvey | (570) 346-8471 xt. 115 |
Center for Art Tech-Brandywine | 1635 E Lincoln Hwy, Coatesville, PA 19320 United States | Mark Stellato | (610) 384-1585 |
Central Westmoreland Career & Technology Center | 240 Arona Road New Stanton, PA 15672 United States | Richard Baur | (724) 925-3532 |
Centre County Area Vo-Tech | 540 N Harrison Rd., Pleasant Gap, PA 16823 United States | Georgory Michelone | (814) 359-2793 |
Clarion County Career Center | 447 Career Rd, Shippenville, PA 16254 United States | Brad Hoover | (814) 226-4391 |
Columbia /Montour A.V.T.S | 5050 Sweppenheiser Dr, Bloomsburg, PA 17815 United States | Jonathan Rine | (570) 784-8040 |
Commonwealth Technical Institute | 727 Goucher Street Johnstown, PA 15905 United States | Karen Bilchak | (814) 255-8200 |
Crawford County Vocational Tech School | Johnstown, PA 15905 | William Powell | (814) 724-6024 |
Cumberland Perry A.V.T.S. | United States | Samuel Yinger | (717) 697-0354 |
Erie County Technical School | 8500 Oliver Rd, Erie, PA 16509 United States | Mark Cyphert | (814) 864-0641 |
Franklin County Ctc | 2463 Loop Rd Chambersburg, PA 17202 United States | Ben Mordan | (717) 263-9033 |
Greater Altoona Career And Technical Center | 1500 4th Ave, Altoona, PA 16602 United States | George A Woomer | (814) 946-8457 |
Hazleton Area Career Center | 1451 W 23rd St, Hazleton, PA 18202 United States | Richard Tihansky | (570) 459-3111 |
Indiana County Technology Center | 441 Hamill Road, Indiana, PA 15701 United States | Lewis Toth | (724) 349-6700 |
Jefferson County-Dubois Vo-Tech School | P.O. Box 968, Reynoldsville, PA 15851 United States | Rodney E. Heininger | (614) 653-8265 |
Lancaster County Career &Technology Center | 432 Old Market St, Mount Joy, PA 17552 United States | John Boyer | (717) 653 3000 |
Lebanon County Career & Tech | 833 Metro Dr, Lebanon, PA 17042 United States | Sharon Bally | (717) 273-8551 |
Lehigh Career And Technical Institute | 4500 Education Park Drive, Schnecksville, PA 18078 United States | David Schnalzer | (610) 799-1358 |
Lenape Area Voc Tech School | 2215 Chaplin Ave, Ford City, PA 16226 United States | Daniel Mulvey | (724) 763-7116 |
Luzerne County Community College | 1333 S. Prospect St. Nanticoke, PA 18634 United States | Susan Spry | (570) 740-0647 |
Mercer County Career Center | 776 Greenville Rd Mercer, PA 16137 United States | Aaron Kline | (724) 662-3000 |
Middle Bucks Institute of Tech | 2740 Old York Rd, Jamison, PA 18929 United States | Robert Lees | (215) 343-2480 |
Monroe County Vocational Tech School | P.O. Box 66, Laurel Lakes Dr, Bartonsville, PA 18321 United States | Frank Wernet | (570) 629-2001 |
New Castle School of Trades | 4164 US 422, Pulaski, PA 16143 United States | George Klesser | (724) 964-8811 |
North Montco Technical Career Center | 1265 Sumneytown, Lansdale, PA 19446 United States | Joshua Seitzer | (215) 368-1177 |
Northampton Community College | 3835 Green Pond Rd Bethlehem, PA 18020 United States | Dino Forst | (610) 332-6270 |
Northern Tier Career Center | RR #1 Box 157A, Towanda, PA 18848 United States | Janet Matthews | (570) 265-8111 |
Northern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center | 705 Stevenson Blvd, New Kensington, PA 15068 United States | Scott Trosky | (724) 335-9389 |
Pittsburgh Public Schools | 625 South 10th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203 United States | George Kirk | (412) 338-3759 |
Pittsburgh Technical Institute | 1111 McKee Road, Oakdale, PA 15071 United States | Robert Rossell | (412) 809-5177 |
Schuylkill Technology Center | 15 Maple Avenue, Mar Lin, PA 17951 United States | Frank Rupp | (570) 544-4748 |
Seneca Valley School District | 126 Seneca School Road, Harmony, PA 16037 United States | Joe Ehrenberger | (724) 452-6040 |
Somerset County Area Vocational School | Rd 5 Vo-Tech Rd, Somerset, PA 15501 United States | Leroy Derstine | (814) 443-3651 |
Sun Area Technical Institute | 815 E. Market St, New Berlin, PA 17855 United States | Dennis Hain | (570) 966-1031 |
The Summit Academy | 839 Herman Rd, Herman, PA 16039 United States | Mark Klemz | (724) 282-1995 |
Tri State Business Institute-Welding Tech | 5757 W 26th St, Erie, PA 16506 United States | Chet Wesley | (814) 838-7673 |
Upper Bucks A.V.T.S. | 3115 Ridge Rd, Perkasie, PA 18944 United States | Jeffery J Swayer | (215) 795-2911 |
Western Area Career & Technology Center | 688 Western Avenue, Canonsberg, PA 15317 United States | Joseph Lannett | (724) 746-2890 |
Wilkes Barre Area Vocational Tech | Wilkes, PA 18705 United States | Frank Beilenda | (717) 822-4131 |
Williamsport Area High School | 2990 W 4th St, Williamsport, PA 17701 United States | David Gephart | (570) 323-8411 |
York County School of Technology | 2179 S Queen St, York, PA 17402 United States | Brian Yarrison | (717) 741-0820 |
York County School Of Technology - Adult Ed | 2179 S. Queen St. York, PA 17402 United States | Meredith Edgar | (717) 741-0820 |
Keep in mind that the information in the table may change so we recommend you to doublecheck it.
Popular Degree Programs
Conclusion
As you can see, there are lots of welding certification schools in Pennsylvania so you have enough options to choose from.
Nevertheless, you need to be sure that welding is exactly what you want as your future career as it’s a difficult job.
If you are confident in your choice, you can be sure that you’ll be rewarded for your decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size generator is needed to run a 140 amp welder?
WelditU has a chart that shows the ideal generator size range for different welder amperages.
For a 140-amp welder, a generator between 4,500 and 6,500 watts is the most optimal.
As you can see on the chart, there is a positive correlation between the welder’s amperage and the size of the generator.
What does DCEP mean in welding?
DCEP means direct current electrode positive.
The DCEP is one of two poles — the other one being direct current electrode negative (DCEN) — the welding electrode is connected to when direct current is being used.
Welding can use either an alternating current or a direct current.
Can you earn more if you are part of a union?
It is not guaranteed, but welders who are members of unions do tend to earn more than welders who are not in unions (approximately 20% more).
However, the exact impact of union membership or non-membership depends on a welder’s industry and where they live.
Still, the long-term relationships that union workers are able to forge with government agencies and businesses go a long way in maximizing their career and income-earning potential.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Certified Welder