Commercial Welding
The art of welding has been practiced for more than three thousand years and the skill remains in high demand. According to the Department of Labor Statistics there are more than 400,000 welding jobs currently in the USA with more than 65% of them in manufacturing. Average wages range between about $13 to $20 per hour for median workers. The outlook for welders in manufacturing is stronger than that for other occupations in manufacturing because of the importance and versatility of welding as a manufacturing process. The basic skills of welding are the same across industries, so welders can easily shift from one industry to another. Welders with up to date training and who can demonstrate their skills are in high demand compared with many other industrial skills. Welders may work indoors or outdoors and are exposed to various hazards. Safety is a high priority and a major part of the welding program at Life Center.

"Be Someone Now" Program
The Work One "Be Someone Now" program pays 100% of the tuition for qualifying 17 to 21 year old students. Students must apply through Work One of Elkhart County and meet all Workforce Development requirements. This program includes two parts. The first part combines the IBTA Customer Service Professional certification with specially crafted life skills training. The second part is the core vocational class. Students must complete the first part before being allowed into the second part. Students are not required to have a high school diploma or GED. The program is completed in one term. The complete program is 8-weeks long, 4-hours each day, Monday through Thursday.

Adult Education Program
The Adult program includes only the core vocational class and is completed in one 6-week term, 4-hours per day, Monday through Thursday. Students must have a high school diploma or GED or must take the Customer Service and Life Skills class as a prerequisite. Students who qualify for TAA or WIA may qualify for Work One funding for this class.

Welding Class
This core vocational class is designed to provide students with short-term intensive training emphasizing the most highly demanded skills in the area. Students learn the essentials of several types of welding and cutting operations and shop safety. Students also learn about equipment used in industry, gasses, metals, and tools. Students successfully completing the class are also awarded three Vincennes University credits. This class runs 4-hour per day, Monday to Thursday, for six weeks (96 contact hours). Class size limit: 8.

Welding II Class
This advanced vocational class prepares students for a specific AWS certification. AWS certification is the industry standard and it is the practical requirement that must be met in order to obtain employment in almost any welding shop. This class runs 4-hour per day, Monday to Thursday, for 4 weeks (64 contact hours). Students must complete the introductory welding course or demonstrate sufficient skills before taking this class. Class size limit: 4.

Welding Class
This is the core vocation class for the welding program. Students complete safety training and demonstrate safety skills before being permitted to touch the welding equipment. Students learn MIG flat welding, 3G vertical welding and other types of welding. Students also learn about the gasses, metals, tools, and fabrication equipment associated with welding. This class runs 3-hour per day, Monday to Thursday, through the 8-week term (96 contact hours). Maximum class size is 8.

Customer Service & Life Skills Class*
This class combines Customer Service with various key life skills to provide a wholistic training approach to the broad range of skills needed in the modern workplace. The class consists of five sections. Section 1 is Leadership. The Leadership section concentrates on the areas of character, ethics, citizenship, and business leadership. Section 2 is English. Students must have a functional understanding of the mechanics of English grammar in order to read and write essential documents in the workplace. Section 3 is Math. Students must be able to use measuring equipment, count money, figure percentage, and perform other common mathematics to function in any business environment. Section 4 is Business. This section introduces students to a variety of essentials business from completing invoices to comprehending interest and insurance. Section 5 is Customer Service. The Customer Service portion addresses the specific skills needed in all types of customer service situations. Topics include personal, phone and electronic forms of communication, interpersonal skills, real-world employer expectations, handling difficult customers, and much more. Successful students receive the fully accredited IBTA Customer Service Professional certification. This class meets 4 hours each day, Monday through Thursday, for 2 weeks (32 contact hours).

*This class is a requirement for students in the Be Someone Now program funded through Work One or for any adult student who has not obtained a high school diploma or GED.