For those looking to engage their minds and test their skill, fabrication and welding provides a variety of work across different industries that is both challenging and rewarding.

If considering a fabrication and welding school, take yourself to a new level and learn by doing in Ranken’s welding certificate and associate degree programs!

Is welding school right for you?

The best career for you would involve hands-on, physical work. You’d rather do a job that involves some heavy lifting than get stuck sitting in one place every day.

You want to learn skills that will give you the flexibility to work in a variety of industries throughout your career – including construction, car racing, aerospace or manufacturing.

Working in a variety of environments sounds good to you. You’ll go where the work is – whether it’s indoors or outdoors, on scaffolding or in small spaces, you get the job done.

Does this sound like you? If so, a welding trade school could be the path to a successful and rewarding career.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts good job opportunities for skilled welders with up-to-date training. Ranken’s two-semester Fabrication and Welding Technology program trains students on essential welding processes, using state-of-the-art equipment in the new Mary Ann Lee Technology Center.

Interested in seeing more of our Fabrication & Welding facilities? Take an interactive 360° virtual tour of Ranken Technical College’s FABRICATION & WELDING TECHNOLOGY department.

Why choose Ranken for your welding courses?

Welding is an essential component of our everyday lives. As a welder, you’ll work on our bridges, our cars and the machinery that makes modern life possible. You’ll be able to use your skills to work in many industries, including building construction, automotive, and manufacturing.

Ranken’s one-year welding certificate program will teach you the essential welding processes you need to get the job you want.

Interested in seeing more of our Manufacturing facilities? Take an interactive 360° virtual tour of Ranken Technical College’s MANUFACTURING departments.

Ranken St. Louis

You’ll get the opportunity to work on the most current and high-tech machinery – our welding courses are held in a 7,500 square foot facility, housing 38 welding booths, a plasma cutting table, a magnetic drill press, two cranes, a shear and a band saw.

Ranken Central MO & Ranken Southeast

Earn money while learning to become a professional welder.

The Fabrication & Welding Day program is designed for students to have 8 weeks of instruction followed by 8 weeks of paid internship for two semesters.

Meeting two nights a week, the Evening program allows working adults access to the same curriculum as the day welding program. Students complete the program after 9 months of hands-on training in our state-of-the-art facility.

Ethan Young

Instructor, Central MO

Keith Allen

Instructor, Evening School

Scott Q. Thornhill

Department Chair & Instructor, Full Time

John M. Otte

Instructor, Full Time, Perryville

John M. Cross

Adjunct Instructor, Evening School

Cory J. Blair

Instructor – Fabrication and Welding Technology, Full Time

Industrial Technology

No photos available.

The curriculum in Ranken’s welding courses is very fabrication specific, and students are trained on industry-standard current machinery and equipment. The welding is done on plate and pipe on low carbon steel, stainless steel and aluminum. In this two-semester welding certificate program, students develop proficiencies in:

  • Blueprint Reading and Quality Inspection
  • Welding Fabrication
  • Equipment Technology
  • Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW/MIG)
  • Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW/TIG)
  • Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW/Stick)
  • Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)
  • Structural Fabrication

Several certification tests are offered in SMAW, GMAW and GTAW.

Chett Miles

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Maintenance Technician @ Midwest Sterilization

2021 Industrial Engineering Technology
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Ricky Hochecker

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Application Engineer @ Hartwig, Inc.

2018 Precision Machining Technology
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Joseph Million

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Machinist @ Hartwig, Inc.

2003 Precision Machining Technology
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Nicholas Kallal

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Apprentice Electrician @ Reinhold Electric

2019 Industrial Technology
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Griffin Grover

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
CNC Programmer @ Tech Manufacturing

2018 Advanced Manufacturing
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Nick Hufker

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Setup Machinist @ R&S Machining

2021 Precision Machining Technology
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Matthew Mays

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Outside Sales Support Specialist @ Airgas

2018 Fabrication and Welding Technology
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Sam Schlechte

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Maintenance Technical @ Ranken Technical College

2017 Industrial Technology, 2019 Electrical Automation, 2021 BS Applied Management
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Nicholas Meeks

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
CNC Operator @ Tech Manufacturing

2020 Advanced Manufacturing Technology
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Thomas Roderick

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
President and CEO @ R&S Machining, Inc.

1987 Certification in Machine Shop
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Scott Miller

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Owner and Operator @ 360 Machine Shop

2017 Precision Machining Technology
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Matthew Roderick

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Lead Programmer @ R&S Machining

2017 Precision Machining and Bachelor of Science in Applied Management
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Frank Roth

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Owner @ Elite Tool

2000 Precision Machining Technology
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Richard Vaughan

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Operations/Plant Manager @ Tech Manufacturing

2001 Precision Machining Technology
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Nicholas Woolbright

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
CNC Machinist @ Boeing Company

2018 Precision Machining Technology
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Lori Sommer

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Associate Director of Charter School Compliance @ Washington University in St. Louis

1991 Machine Shop Technology
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Jeff Scott

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Training Supervisor @ Ameren

2006 Industrial Technology
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Tyler Milek

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Machinist @ The Gund Company

2020 Advanced Precision Machining Technology
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Marcus Chaplin

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Senior Facilities Manager @ W.W. Grainger

2013 Industrial Engineering Technology
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Tyler Keim

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
CNC Operator @ Elite Tool

2021 Advanced Manufacturing Technology
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Taylor Watson

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Machinist @ Roton Products

2020 Advanced Precision Machining Technology
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Nick Meloy

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Laborer, LoneStar Pipeline Contractors

2020 Fabrication and Welding Technology
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Riley Riehn

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Engineering Technician @ TG Missouri Corporation

May 2019 Industrial Engineering Technology
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Eric Bowman

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Numerical Control Electrician @ Boeing and Anheuser-Busch

2009-2016 AS in Electrical Construction Design & Mgmt, Industrial Technology, and Electrical Maintenance; 2020 BS in Applied Management
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Zach Darr

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Service Technician 3 @ CBRE

2015 Precision Machining Technology
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Frank Roth IV

Department: Alumni Manufacturing
Owner, Elite Tool, Moscow Mills, Missouri

2000 Precision Machining Technology
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Dale Niemeier

Department: Alumni Manufacturing


1971 Precision Machining Technology
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Dave Rogers

Department: Alumni Manufacturing


1971 Machining
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