Precision Welds. Powerful Impact.
Own the welding arc. Hold the world together.
Turn sparks into success with Owens’ SMAW Welding Certificate. In one fast-paced, focused semester, you’ll become a proficient welder using the Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) process—the backbone of industrial construction known as stick welding.
Industries depend on skilled SMAW welders to build towering skyscrapers, repair massive pipelines and maintain critical infrastructure. Your expertise becomes the foundation that keeps bridges standing, ships sailing and manufacturing plants running safely. Every perfect bead you lay is tangible evidence of your growing mastery—a career that fuses technical precision with true craftsmanship, delivering deep satisfaction and professional pride.
Essential qualities for welding success:
- Attention to Detail: Your precision and accuracy determine whether structures stand strong for decades or fail when it matters most.
- Manual Dexterity and Coordination: Steady hands and sharp hand-eye coordination separate good welders from great ones, ensuring flawless execution in every position.
- Commitment to Safety: Your dedication to protocols doesn’t just protect you and your team—it safeguards entire communities that depend on your work.
Small Classes. Expert Guidance.
At Owens, you have a team of dedicated, experienced professionals guiding you. In turn, your faculty will be supported by an Advisory Committee of local professionals.
Our instructors are experts who take pride in your success. Combined with our small class sizes, you’ll get one-on-one mentorship and precise technical feedback tailored to your goals.
Award Type
Certificate
Department
Department of Skilled Trades
Required Credit Hours
6
Tangible Outcomes
1
Semester of training, depending on schedule and incoming credits
86%
Job placement rate for Owens grads within 2 years
76
Certificates awarded last year
Strike the Arc. Inspect the Weld.
In this comprehensive three-course certificate program, you’ll develop the competency and confidence needed to work as a professional SMAW stick welder. You’ll master critical techniques and safety practices through hands-on learning in our state-of-the-art welding laboratory.
Begin your welding journey with an introduction to welding processes. You’ll master fundamental theory and practical applications across three key welding processes: oxyacetylene welding (OAW), shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) and gas metal arc welding (GMAW). Safety protocols and best practices are emphasized throughout to ensure you develop proper habits from day one.
Advance your skills by learning arc welding techniques in flat and horizontal positions while working with various joint designs and plate thicknesses. You’ll also gain valuable knowledge of AC/DC electrical principles and develop troubleshooting skills essential for professional welding applications.
Perfect your welding expertise by mastering the more challenging vertical up, vertical down and overhead welding positions. Fine-tune your technique and prepare yourself for complex real-world welding scenarios.
Graduate ready to enter the workforce immediately or seamlessly continue your education. All credits earned in this certificate program transfer directly into Owens’ Welding Major, AAS degree program or other related certificate programs, giving you flexible pathways to advance your career.
State-of-the-Art Training
The Dana Center for Advanced Manufacturing is a sprawling 59,000-square-foot facility with natural lighting and glass walls—perfect for technical and immersive training.
Career Outcomes
Turn your skills into a high-demand career with versatile, hands-on techniques. You’ll be able to work across construction, manufacturing, shipbuilding and industrial maintenance. From flat to overhead positions, your experience welding various metals and alloys will translate to real-world environments—including outdoor work, elevated positions and all-weather conditions.
This foundational program equips you for immediate employment while also opening doors to advanced welding techniques, specialized certifications and career advancement in supervision, inspection and specialized trades. Graduate ready to weld, succeed and build a lasting future in this skilled, high-demand field.
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In Their Words
“My teachers are awesome,” said Ammons, a 2006 Anthony Wayne High School and Penta Career Center graduate who now lives in Holland. “They’ve been in the job fields. Everything I learn applies to what you need to know for your job.”
Ruth Ammons, Skilled Trades Mechanical and Applied Engineering, ’20
Getting Started at Owens
Begin your high-quality education at an affordable price today!
Enrollment is easy—just fill out an online admissions application to get started. We’ll ask you to submit your transcripts for course placement and college credit.
Upon acceptance, schedule a meeting with your admissions advisor to register for classes. Next, attend an on-campus orientation and meet with your student financial services advisor to discuss ways to pay for college.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering (ATMAE).
For more information concerning accreditation standards, contact the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE), 310 W. Lake Street, Suite 111, Elmhurst, IL 60126, phone number (630) 433-4514, web address atmae.org.