Welding
16 courses · El Camino College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026 · Winter 2027 · Spring 2027
WELD 1A Introduction to Multi-Process Welding
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 2.5 hours lecture, 5 hours lab
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course is designed to provide students with basic performance qualification skills needed for employment in manufacturing and the maintenance industry. Students are introduced to multiple processes with a primary focus on developing manipulative skills commonly used in manufacturing. Welding processes covered include oxyacetylene cutting, plasma arc cutting, Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), and Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW). The course also includes a study of occupational safety, weld symbols, and joint design.
WELD 1B Advanced Welding for Manufacturing
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 2.5 hours lecture, 5 hours lab
- Prerequisite
- WELD 1A or WELD 10A or equivalent with a minimum grade of C in prerequisite
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course continues the development of students' theory and practice of their manual and semiautomatic welding skills, joining ferrous and non-ferrous metals for manufacturing technology. Welding processes include Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), aluminum Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), Dual-Shield Flux Core Arc welding (FCAW-G) and Shielded Metal Arc welding (SMAW). The course is an in-depth study into advanced manufacturing processes, work procedure specifications, occupational safety and calculations of material cost and sizes. Additional topics include fractional, decimal and metric conversions.
WELD 10A Introduction to Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 2.5 hours lecture, 5 hours lab
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course is designed for the beginning student. Students will develop manipulative skills using the oxygas and Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) processes. Emphasis is placed on safety procedures, use of manual and semi-automatic welding equipment, welding techniques, electrodes and joints. Practical aspects of Flux Core Arc Welding (FCAW) process will be introduced.
WELD 10B Intermediate Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 2.5 hours lecture, 5 hours lab
- Advisory
- WELD 10A
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course is designed for the intermediate student. Students will enhance their skills by developing their technique in the open root processing using Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) electrodes. The course emphasizes the theory and practice of joint preparation, Complete Joint Penetration (CJP), and various cover pass processes including semi-automatic arc welding theory.
WELD 10C Advanced Certification and Career Preparation Lab
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 6 hours lab
- Prerequisite
- WELD 10B with a minimum grade of C or equivalent
- Transfers to
- CSU
This advanced level welding lab is third of a series specifically designed for students to refine their welding skills in E7018 electrodes used in structural steel Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) in the vertical (3G) and overhead (4G) position. This class prepares the student for the American Welding Society (AWS) practical examination required to obtain the Los Angeles City Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) license for structural steel. Taken in succession, this course prepares students to advance to level III in AWS national skill standards.
WELD 15 Basic Welding for Allied Fields
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 2 hours lecture, 4 hours lab
- Formerly
- Welding 15ab
- Transfers to
- CSU
This is a basic course to support trade skills for students in allied fields. The course introduces students to welding equipment, nomenclature, safety, plasma and mechanical cutting, metallurgical exploration of ferrous and nonferrous material, ductility of materials, effects of coldworking and heating treating.
WELD 20A Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 2.5 hours lecture, 5 hours lab
- Prerequisite
- WELD 10C or WELD 23 with a minimum grade of C
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course is designed to develop Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) skills and focuses on preparing students to pass the American Welding Society (AWS) D1.1 flux cored arc welding qualification and earn the semi-automatic endorsement for the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) structural welding license. The course offers an in-depth study into work procedure specifications, operation and maintenance of constant voltage welding machines, occupational safety, D1.1 code, constant voltage welding theory, wire classification, metallurgy and weld inspection. Emphasis is placed on the theory and practice of joint preparation and Complete Joint Penetration (CJP) in the vertical and overhead welding positions utilizing flux cored arc welding process.
WELD 23 Advanced Arc Welding Specialty Lab
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 6 hours lab
- Prerequisite
- Welding 10B or equivalent
- Formerly
- Welding 23abc
- Transfers to
- CSU
This advanced level welding course is designed to further develop advanced specialized welding skills in the structural, sheet metal, and construction industries. This course is for the advanced arc welding student preparing for the American Welding Society (AWS) Structural Steel practical exam and certification.
WELD 28 American Welding Society (AWS) D1.1 Certification Test Preparation
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
- Prerequisite
- WELD 10C or WELD 23 with a minimum grade of C in prerequisite or equivalent
- Formerly
- Welding 28ab
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course prepares the student to pass the written examination of the Los Angeles City Department of Building and Safety Structural Steel American Welding Society (AWS) D1.1 examination. Both the midterm and final examinations will be administered under same testing conditions as the actual Los Angeles City written exam.
WELD 29 Blueprint Reading
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course is designed to provide principles of reading and interpreting basic industrial prints and shop drawings as applied to the welding trade. Emphasis is placed on shape identification, nomenclature, and welding symbols.
WELD 40A Introduction to Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 2 hours lecture, 4 hours lab
- Formerly
- Welding 40
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course is designed for the beginning student. Students develop manipulative skills using the Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) process on ferrous and non-ferrous alloys. Related classroom instruction covers technical data pertaining to this welding process with special emphasis on operational parameters of inverter type machines. This course begins preparation for eligibility for American Welding Society (AWS) D17.1 certification.
WELD 40B Intermediate Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 2 hours lecture, 4 hours lab
- Advisory
- Welding 40A
- Transfers to
- CSU
This is an intermediate course in Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW). Special emphasis is placed on the welding of ferrous and non-ferrous metals in the various positions and building skill development in GTAW. Students continue to prepare for the American Welding Society (AWS) D17.1 certification.
WELD 40C Advanced Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) Skills Lab
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 6 hours lab
- Prerequisite
- WELD 40B with a minimum grade of C or equivalent
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course is designed to develop the advanced specialized skills used within the structural steel, sheet metal, and aerospace manufacturing industries using the Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) process. Repair of cast welding and tooling maintenance will be introduced. Students will develop various specialized skills that will help them achieve students' goals and attain the necessary traits that employers are seeking. This course prepares students for American Welding Society (AWS) D17.1 certification.
WELD 45 Structural Fabrication
- Units
- 5
- Hours
- 4 hours lecture, 4 hours lab
- Prerequisite
- Welding 10A or Welding 15 or Welding 40A with a minimum grade of C in prerequisite
- Formerly
- Welding 45ab
- Transfers to
- CSU
This welding course focuses on skills required to fabricate a project from an engineering drawing to the finished product. Emphasis is placed on interpreting engineering drawings, proper use of tools and equipment, math, and shop safety.
WELD 95 Cooperative Work Experience Education
- Units
- 2-4
- Hours
- hours to be arranged
- Formerly
- Welding 95abcd
- Transfers to
- CSU
Through a set of learning objectives established by the student, supervisor, and instructor, each student will work with and learn from experts in the Welding field. These experiences will enable students to improve job skills, analyze career opportunities and requirements, and compare them to personal abilities and career expectations.
WELD 99 Independent Study
- Units
- 1-3
- Hours
- hours to be arranged
- Formerly
- Welding 99abc
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course provides special advanced studies in a subject field of Welding not covered in the regular departmental offerings. Regular conferences with the instructor are coordinated with assigned Welding projects (54 hours per unit).