Welding Certifications

[Maria Stringari]

Hello Everyone,

My school is wanting to do some welding dual credit classes or get the students some sort of welding certifications. I'm wondering if any teachers out there have some information on it or if your schools do something like it. 

Thanks in advance,

Maria Stringari

Bridger Ag Teacher

[Eric Tilleman]

There are several programs that have established articulation agreements with colleges; however, participation in these agreements typically requires attending the respective college’s summer workshop for training and certification. To access these opportunities, educators will need to contact each institution individually and complete the necessary steps to establish an agreement.

Flathead Valley Community College offers a summer workshop specifically for shop teachers, and Great Falls College–MSU provides a similar opportunity.

Below is the contact information for Billings College–MSU, which may also offer potential opportunities in this area.

Tim Stenson

Instructor, Welding-Metal Fabrication

   TECH A071
   406-896-5958
   timothy...@msubillings.edu

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[Phillip Cox]

Last year when I reached out to Tim Stenson at MSUB-City College, his advised against certifying high school students and this was his response:

Mr. Cox,

 

Weld Certification can be a confusing topic of discussion. In a nutshell, here is what I tell everyone that asks me about getting their “Certs” prior to their job search.

 

I could, technically, certify our students (and anyone else) in our facility for a very minimal charge, if any at all. But ….. AWS has asked me not to do so, as that would take business away from the local CWI community. As a CWI myself, I get that ….. administering weld tests is a decent portion of their livelihood. However, as part of our curriculum here at City College we put the students through all of the applicable code tests that they may experience in their career ….. AWS D1.1, ASME IX, API 1104, and CWB 47.1. This exposure to these weld tests prepares them so they aren’t surprised by any of the possible future tests.

 

I would advise against certifying high school seniors. The reason I say this is that when they go out on their job hunt, all of their potential employers will certify them at the company’s cost ….. even if the kids have already obtained a prior certification. If the kids provide a certificate as part of their resume’/application documents, the potential employer will still test them. That’s fairly standard procedure.

 

If you would still like to get them certified I could refer you to a CWI friend of mine. It can be costly. If you and/or the students would like to come visit us here and get an idea of what the tests will look like, I would be happy to help you out.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Tim Stenson

Welding Instructor/CWI

Montana State University Billings - City College

3803 Central Avenue

Billings, MT 59102

406-896-5958

timothy...@msubillings.edu

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[Leanne Hoagland]

Our dual enrollment are through DCC, you can also look at MCC.   You can also look at AWS - American Welding Society and become certified as a CWE or Certified Welding Educator and even a CWI - or Certified Weling Inspector.  I let my CWI in API1104 or pipe expire. I was not bending enough to keep it and ethically I can't stamp my students.  I still can bend my students and write a certificate as if I were a CWI to show them that they can pass a bend and have done so.  They would still need to bend for any job.  

I hope this makes sense. 

Leanne Hoagland MAB LAC SAP

American Welding Society CWE  # 1511015E

Agriculture/ Welding Instructor & FFA Advisor 

Dawson County High School

Glendive Montana  59330

406-377-5381 Office / 406-939-1263 Cell

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[Sandra Campbell]

We are doing a welding dual credit class through MSU Northern.

On Wed, Jan 7, 2026 at 9:51 AM 'Maria Stringari' via AG ED General Group <Ag...@opiconnect.org> wrote:

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Sandra Campbell, M.Ed.
Special Education/Counselor

200 Wisconsin Street

Belfry Public Schools
406-664-3319
scam...@belfry.k12.mt.us