Welding is consistently one of the most sought-after career training programs Meridian offers. To help meet the demand, Meridian offers Welding Fundamentals and Welding for Certification on weeknights. Short courses like this one meet one or two nights a week, and in this instance, the courses cover much of the same content as the daytime welding program.

For this edition of TRIO, we’ve pulled in Justin Nisbett, Meridian’s Precision Metal Fabrication daytime and weeknight Welding instructor. We couldn’t think of a better person to shed light on the courses and the three most popular reasons people sign up for the evening welding classes.

1. Projects for the Farm and Home

Welding projects for the farm or home are truly limitless. In just one month, people who sign up for the Welding Fundamentals class will have the skills they need to work on common farm and home improvement welding jobs. In the past, Justin has worked with students wanting to add metal fencing or gates on their property, repair or modify farm equipment and build custom trailers. The possibilities are limitless with a basic knowledge of welding. Other popular projects for the home include fire rings or fire pits, smokers and trailers for tailgating, and trellises. Justin recommends this article by Lincoln Electric that has more than 60 welding projects that don’t require advanced welding skills.

2. Metal Art as a Hobby or Business

Metalworking as a hobby is one of the most creative reasons people learn welding fundamentals. Whether using their skills to make personal items for friends and family, or as a new business venture, the Welding Fundamentals class provides a foundation to explore the craft. A quick search on Etsy provides inspiration with more than 5,000 examples of welded art ranging from unique metal sculptures using recycled materials to one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry. For in-person inspiration, mark your calendar for the Stillwater Arts & Humanities Council’s annual Arts Festival on April 21 – 22 and the annual Paseo Arts Festival in Oklahoma City held over Memorial Day weekend.

3. Train or Retrain for a Career in Welding

Justin shares that when adults want to train or retrain for a career change they may not have the financial means to quit their job and focus on school full time. Economic indicators in Oklahoma show that manufacturing jobs continue to grow. As the nation’s infrastructure continues to age, the expertise of welders will continue to be in demand across the country. The evening course provides flexibility for adults to acquire new skills without interfering with their job. Justin tailors the Welding Fundamentals course to the skill level that each student has when they enter the class. No prior experience is necessary. The fundamentals class, or proof of something comparable, is required for the Welding for Certification course. The advanced class builds on basic welding skills and prepares someone to seek AWS, ASME or API certification for welding positions. Taking the certification exams isn’t a required component of the short course, but you’ll certainly have the skills to pass them!

If you’re interested in weeknight welding options, sign up for one of the Welding short courses. New classes start each month. Call 405.377.3333 with questions or register here. To find out about more courses like this sign up for our monthly e-newsletter. View all of our upcoming courses in our digital catalog.

Cara Adney is the Marketing and Media Relations Coordinator at Meridian Technology Center.