This list of welding schools in California offers a variety of options in welding education including welding apprenticeships. Be sure to do your due diligence in researching any welding school that you intened on pursuing. Our site, Class One Welding has no affiliation with any of the schools listed below. If you would like a welding school or educational center added to our California list please contact us or leave a comment at the bottom of the page!
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Welding Schools In California
Click on the name of the school to visit their website for more information about their welding program.
Butte College
3536 Butte Campus Dr.
Oroville, CA 95965
Phone: (530) 895-2511
Notes: Butte college is one of the best welding schools in California because they offer a unique program that allows you to go to work for PG&E as a pipe welder straight out of school. This is an excellent opportunity for entry level welders to take advantage of. PG&E offers great pay, tons of overtime and offers great benefits.
Los Angeles Trade Technical College
400 W Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Phone:(213) 763-7000
Notes: This welding school in California offers an Associate’s Degree in Welding as well as welding certificate program. The welding courses that you will take cover everything from blueprint reading to plate welding. All welding process will be taught to you including TIG, MIG and stick welding on a variety of base metals. I do not believe that pipe welding is covered at this school but you will receive a welding certification, AWS D1.1 (structural steel).
Cabrillo College
6500 Soquel Drive
Aptos CA, 95003
Phone: (831) 479-6100
Notes: Cabrillo offers a basic welding skills program as well as an advanced welding program, you can see the differenced in the programs here and also view all the welding classes they offer. You will learn to TIG, MIG and stick weld in all positions and will be have enough skill at the end of the advanced welding program to pass a welding certification.
Chabot College
25555 Hesperian Blvd
Hayward, CA 94545
Phone: (510) 723-6600
Notes: This California welding school offers an Associate’s Degree in Welding Technology. All welding processes are covered on plate as well as pipe. Welding certification tests are also offered through the school from what I have read.
College of the Siskiyous
800 College Ave
Weed, CA 96094
Phone: (530) 938-5555
Notes: This welding school in California offers a verity of welding programs from basic certificate to an Associates Degree in welding, you can see a brochure here. Welding certification tests will be given in the last semester of the welding program. TIG, MIG and stick welding is covered and you will also have classes in blueprint reading and mathematics.
El Camino College
16007 Crenshaw Blvd
Torrance, CA 90506
Phone: (310) 532-3670
Notes: El Camino College offers an Associate’s Degree in welding. I do not have any further information about this welding school.
Fresno City College
1101 E University Ave
Fresno, CA 93741
Phone: (559) 442-4600
Notes: Fresno City College has a solid welding program that will get you certified for pipe welding as well as structural steel. The certifications are integrated into their Associates Degree in welding program. The cover all welding processes SMAW ( Shield Metal-Arc Welding ) STICK, GMAW ( Gas Metal-Arc Welding ), MIG , FCAW (Flux Cored-Arc Welding), GTAW ( Gas Tungsten-Arc Welding) along with blueprint reading and welding theory.
Orange Coast College
2701 Fairview Rd
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Phone: (714) 432-5072
Notes: Orange Coast College offers two different welding programs
Cal-Trade Welding Schools
424 Kansas Ave
Modesto, CA 95351
Phone: (209) 523-0753
Notes: I do not have any information about this welding school.
John Lopez Welding School
2925 Mosasco St
Bakersfield, CA 93312
Phone: (661) 588-3525
Notes: This welding school offers plate welding, pipe welding, TIG/MIG Welding and Advanced Pipe Welding classes.
Welding Skills Test & Training Center, Inc.
9216 Center Ave
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
Phone: (909) 476-4149
Notes: This is a great place to take welding certification tests. They offer over 18 different welder certification classes from the AWS (American Welding Society) , ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) and the API (American Petroleum Institute).
Pacific Coast Trade School
1690 Universe Cir
Oxnard, CA 93033
Phone: (805) 487-9260
Notes: This welding school offers a 900 hour combination welding course.
Other Welding Training In California – Welding Apprenticeships
The Ironworkers and boilermakers union both offer apprenticeship programs to anyone that is interested in pursuing a career with them. Most apprenticeship programs last anywhere between four and five years. The apprenticeships consist of on-the-job training and also classroom work. Welding is just one part of being a boilermaker or ironworker. You’ll learn a very wide variety of skills including welding, rigging, pipefitting and blueprint reading.
An added benefit to participating in an apprenticeship program is that you will be paid an excellent wage while you are learning. After you complete your apprenticeship you’ll be considered what is called a journeyman and on average will make $23 – $30 an hour or more depending on what geographical location you work in. Union benefits are also excellent and you will most likely not have to pay anything for your health insurance.