Lincoln Educational Services, which provides specialized technical training through its Lincoln Tech campuses, says it is introducing a Welding and Metal Fabrication program at its Columbia MD campus this fall.
The first class is slated to start Oct 23, marking the first welding program offered by Lincoln Tech in the state of Maryland.
The US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a need for 130,000 welders by 2026. Combined with the national skills gap and impending retirements, welding is one of the nation’s most in-demand skilled trades, Lincoln said.
Graduates from the Columbia campus may pursue work within Maryland, where more than 2,000 of those openings are expected to be found, the company maintained. The Columbia campus also is situated near northern Virginia, where an additional 8,000 welders are projected to be needed, and Washington DC, which offers the nation’s highest average hourly wage for welders, according to careeronestop.org.
“Adding career training for welding and metal fabrication is an important step for our Columbia campus, because area employers have stated there aren’t enough candidates with the necessary skills in today’s workforce,” said Scott Shaw, Lincoln Tech’s president and CEO. “The area around Baltimore and our nation’s capital is constantly growing and expanding its infrastructure, which means there’s an ongoing demand for welders.
“Construction companies and diesel fleet operators need welders. The nation’s largest shipbuilding yard, in Newport News VA, is also in need of welders. We’re excited for the career opportunities awaiting graduates of this new program.”
In the new program, students will practice MIG and TIG welding processes, as well as Shielded Metal and Flux Core Arc Welding, Lincoln said. The curriculum also includes an OSHA-approved safety course, and upon completion students will be eligible to receive Level One credentials from the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER).
The Columbia campus is the seventh Lincoln Tech campus to offer training for welding careers. The program also is offered at campuses in Denver CO, East Windsor CT, Grand Prairie TX, Indianapolis IN, Nashville TN and South Plainfield NJ.
Lincoln’s welding programs nationwide are supported by Miller Electric, which provides industry-standard equipment for student training.
For more information, go to lincolntech.edu.