Welding: Welding Technology (Certificate of Achievement)
Allan Hancock College · Santa Maria, CA
- Cost
- $2,726
- Length
- 72 weeks
- Working 6 months later
- 67%
Program names, program descriptions and occupation titles appear here in English, because that is the only language the federal and state records publish them in. Everything else on this page is translated.
What happened to people who took this
- People enrolled
- 511
- Finished the program
- 28%Based on 75 peopleTypical California program: 85% of 1,951 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Working 6 months later
- 67%Typical California program: 69% of 1,690 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $6,145A single quarter of earnings, roughly three months, not a yearly salary. Do not compare it directly with the yearly pay shown for the occupation.Typical California program: $10,900 of 1,339 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
The jobs this trains for
This describes the jobs people do, not the classes this program teaches. It comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, which asks people already doing the work. The Department publishes it in English only, so the job names and the sentences below stay in English on this page.
Trains for more than one job. The outlook shown is the weakest of them.
Where California publishes a separate figure for Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA (Santa Barbara County), it appears beneath the statewide one. Statewide stays the headline: people who train here do not necessarily work here.
Structural Iron and Steel Workers
Job ads may call this: Fitter · Ironworker · Tower Hand · Iron Worker
Some of what people in this job do. The Department rates how important each one is, and they appear in that order.
- Read specifications or blueprints to determine the locations, quantities, or sizes of materials required.
- Connect columns, beams, and girders with bolts, following blueprints and instructions from supervisors.
- Bolt aligned structural steel members in position for permanent riveting, bolting, or welding into place.
- Fasten structural steel members to hoist cables, using chains, cables, or rope.
Show 3 more things this job involves
- Verify vertical and horizontal alignment of structural steel members, using plumb bobs, laser equipment, transits, or levels.
- Hoist steel beams, girders, or columns into place, using cranes or signaling hoisting equipment operators to lift and position structural steel members.
- Cut, bend, or weld steel pieces, using metal shears, torches, or welding equipment.
- Typical pay in California
- $78,439per year
- Projected openings
- 6,220
- Projected change
- +5.5%
- Usually needs
- High school diploma or equivalent
California publishes no separate figure for this job in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA. The statewide figures above are the only ones there are.
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- An apprenticeship
People usually enter this job through an apprenticeship rather than from a classroom course alone. Ask the provider whether this program leads to one.
These are the federal government's answers for the occupation, not rules this provider sets. California publishes the same two answers for every one of these jobs.
What people in this job actually studied
Most common: High school diploma — 48% of the people doing this work.
California says this job usually needs: High school diploma or equivalent. 10% of the people doing it went less far than that.
- No high school diploma
- 10%
- High school diploma
- 48%
- Started college, no degree
- 27%
- Two-year degree
- 11%
- Four-year degree
- 4%
- Master's degree
- 0%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 0.1%
This counts people already doing this job, across the whole United States. Every other figure on this page is California's, and the federal government publishes no state version of this one. It is what people happen to have, not a rule about who gets hired. A small row does not mean you would be turned away, and a large one is not a promise of a job.
Industrial Machinery Mechanics
Pay, hiring, and what people studied
Job ads may call this: Mechanic · Loom Fixer · Overhauler · Loom Technician
- Repair or maintain the operating condition of industrial production or processing machinery or equipment.
- Repair or replace broken or malfunctioning components of machinery or equipment.
- Clean, lubricate, or adjust parts, equipment, or machinery.
- Disassemble machinery or equipment to remove parts and make repairs.
- Reassemble equipment after completion of inspections, testing, or repairs.
What this pays in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA (Santa Barbara County)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA (Santa Barbara County) | $50,601 | $69,810 | $98,858 |
| Across California | $49,234 | $76,504 | $110,745 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA (Santa Barbara County) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $76,504per yearSanta Maria-Santa Barbara MSA: $65,530
- Projected openings
- 28,510Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA: 250
- Projected change
- +13.8%
- Usually needs
- High school diploma or equivalent
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- More than a year
New hires are trained on the job for more than a year after they start. The classroom part is the beginning of this work, not the whole of it.
What people in this job actually studied
Most common: High school diploma — 40% of the people doing this work.
California says this job usually needs: High school diploma or equivalent. 9% of the people doing it went less far than that.
- No high school diploma
- 9%
- High school diploma
- 40%
- Started college, no degree
- 26%
- Two-year degree
- 18%
- Four-year degree
- 6%
- Master's degree
- 1%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 0.2%
Program details
This program provides in-person instruction only.
The certificate in welding technology is designed to provide comprehensive occupational training in all common types of welding methods as related to today's welding fabrication industries. This program will provide students with manipulative skills and technical knowledge required to perform in the areas of oxyacetylene, shielded metal arc, gas metal arc (G.M.A.W. and T.I.G.) welding processes. Also included in this program are hand cutting and semi-automatic cutting techniques. Certification tests may be taken. Employment opportunities available are welder, welder mechanic, maintenance welder, construction welder, pipe welder, and welding inspectors.
Someone else may be able to pay for this
This program was on California's Eligible Training Provider List when the state last reported it to the U.S. Department of Labor (2026-08-04). Programs on that list can be paid for through an Individual Training Account. Listings are renewed periodically and can lapse, so a program listed when the state last reported may not be listed today. Ask before you rely on it.
The place to ask is an America's Job Center of California
America`s Job Center of California Workforce Resource CenterComprehensive center
Phone: 805-614-1550
1410 South BroadwaySuite ESanta Maria, CA 93454about 11.8 miles away
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Has a veterans' representative
Distances are straight-line, so the drive is longer. Call before you travel: opening hours here are as the federal directory published them, and the state notes its own staff are not present at every location.
Find a center anywhere in California, and check what is on the list today:
CareerOneStop — American Job Center Finder (U.S. DOL) · California EDD — Office Locator · California EDD — Eligible Training Provider List
How this gets paid for, and what to ask →
Whether a person can have a program paid for is decided by their local workforce development board and the America's Job Center staff who interview them — not by this site, and not by the training provider. California has 45 local workforce development areas and each sets its own policies, so the answer can differ between two people in neighboring counties. Nothing here is a promise of funding or a determination of eligibility.
The rules cited here, and the state and federal sites linked to, are published in English.
How this site gets its figures, and what they do not tell you →