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If you’d like to learn more about the Welding program, we’d love to talk with you.
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Financial Aid Available-
Program Overview
As a student in the Welding program at Madison College, you will:
- Develop welding skills using common manual and semi-automatic arc welding processes.
- Gain skills and knowledge in industrial safety, blueprint reading, metallurgy, basic metal fabrication and career exploration/employability.
- Prepare for all welding positions using a variety of plate and sheet metal, including pipe welding.
- Complete welding projects following American Welding Society (AWS) codes and procedures.
- Prepare for a variety of entry-level positions in the welding, metal fabrication, construction and manufacturing industries.
Welding Program Details
Students in the Welding program can attend full time.
Welding classes may be offered at the Madison College Truax and Fort Atkinson campuses.
Welding Careers
Earning your One-year Technical Diploma in the Welding program at Madison Area Technical College prepares you for valuable work as a:
- Maintenance Welder
- Qualified Welder
- Structural Welder
- Welder/Fabricator
- Production Welder
- Ironworker Apprentice
- Steamfitter Apprentice
With additional education and/or work experience, graduates may find employment as:
- Welding Apprentice
- Welding Foreman
- Welding Inspector
- Welding Supervisor
Metal Fabrication Double Diploma!
After completing your Welding diploma, you can earn a Metal Fabrication diploma with eleven more credits. Contact tandt@madisoncollege.edu for more information.
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Curriculum and Experience
Prospective program students, the information below reflects the basic requirements for students admitted for the 2026-2027 academic year. To learn more about Madison College, visit us.
Current and newly admitted program students, go directly to your Degree Progress Report to view:
- Progress toward your specific requirements
- Alternative (in lieu of) courses to meet specific requirements
If you have questions after reviewing your degree progress report (advisement report), please see Advising Services.
Pre-Program CourseFirst SemesterSecond Semester -
Admission
Earning a degree is a great way to advance your career development opportunities, so apply today!
If you are an international student and want to apply to Madison College, or transfer your F-1 student visa here, check program availability and then complete the International Admission Process.
Apply Now – Join the Waiting List
This program is in transition to assess capacity and enrollment availability for the 2026-2027 academic year. Beginning Fall 2026, all qualified applicants will be placed on a waiting list.
- Program Capacity:
- Portage campus: 13 spots each Fall
- Truax campus: 36 spots each Fall
- Estimated Wait Time: 0-1 year
- Notification Timeline: Students on the waiting list will be notified in March 2026 about available spots. Those who remain on the list will also receive an update on their estimated wait times.
Submitting your application now ensures you're considered as soon as space becomes available.
Learn more about waiting lists in the Waiting List section below.
Application Dates
Fall 2026
- Application open
- Application completion deadline is August 31, 2026
Admission Requirements
All materials must be submitted by the application deadline.
1. Admission Application
The online application allows you to save your work as you complete it and ensures fast, secure delivery to our office.
2. Education Completion
Submit official transcripts from the institutions you attended that indicate one of the following:
- High school completion (current high school seniors may submit an in-progress transcript)
- GED/HSED completion
- College transcript or Madison College experience showing:
- Completion of an associate degree or higher, or
- At least 30 credits completed with a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4-point scale
- The credits must be completed at a single college and cannot be combined with other transcripts
- Any transfer credit listed on a transcript does not count toward the 30-credit minimum
- Credits completed at Madison College are evaluated and do not require a transcript
All high school and/or college transcripts are recommended to be submitted for Credit for Prior Learning evaluation.
3. Residency Requirement
Per Wisconsin Statute TCS-10 because this program has a waitlist:
- Out-of-state residents (except Minnesota residents*) are not eligible for admission consideration to this program
- Non-district state residents
- May only be considered after January 1 for the upcoming fall term
- *Minnesota residents are considered non-district state residents for admission purposes
Additional Notes
Individual courses may have prerequisites to enroll. Admission into a program or waiting list does not guarantee eligibility to enroll in courses. See the Curriculum section for the list of courses for the program.
After Acceptance
Once you are admitted into your program, review the Start of Semester Checklist to prepare for your first day of classes at Madison College.
Questions?
Contact the Enrollment Center at enrollmentservices@madisoncollege.edu or 608.246.6210.
Get Started!
Apply to Madison College and take the first step towards your Welding career.
- Program Capacity:
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Waiting List
This program uses a waiting list to manage program admission due to capacity limitations and high program demand. This means there are typically more applicants than there are open seats in the program. A waiting list helps us manage applications in a way that is fair and transparent.
- Students on the waitlist receive priority in future terms based on the date they complete all application requirements.
- Priority does not guarantee a spot in the program.
- You may remain on the waiting list if you continue to follow the steps to notify Madison College of your continued interest.
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Career Outcomes
MATC Welding program graduates are prepared to enter the workforce with effective job skills.
Safety Awareness
Apply and demonstrate safe working practices and techniques that comply with all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements, local requirements and established industry safety practices.Employability Skills and Practices
Demonstrate abilities that contribute to employment by displaying flexibility, self-motivation, time efficiency, effective written and oral communication, and contributing to work team success.Career Advancement Skills and Personal Initiative
Demonstrate career advancement skills by engaging in problem solving, time management and shop management practices.Technical Welding Skills
Demonstrate knowledge, set-up and correct operation of commonly used welding equipment.Basic Metallurgy and Properties/Identification of Metals
Understand and apply metallurgy concepts and principals to common welding and metal fabrication processes.Technical Metal Fabrication Skills
Understand and demonstrate basic metal fabrication functions.-
Graduate Summary
Graduate Report Summary Overview
2023 2024 2025 Number of Program Graduates 34 42 39 Number of Surveys Sent 34 42 39 Number of Surveys Returned 19 20 26 Percent of Surveys Returned Available for Employment 15 14 21 Percent Available for Employment 78.9% 70.0% 80.8% Not in Labor Market Percent Not in Labor Market 21.1% 30.0% 19.2% Available for Employment
2023 2024 2025 Graduates Employed 12 14 19 Percent of Graduates Employed 80.0% 100.0% 90.5% Employed in Related Occupation 12 10 16 Percent Employed in Related Occupation 100.0% 71.4% 84.2% Employed in Unrelated Occupation 0 3 3 Percent Employed in Unrelated Occupation 0.0% 21.4% 15.8% Employed - No Response 0 1 0 Percent Employed - No Response 0.0% 7.1% 0.0% Seeking Employment 3 0 2 Percent Seeking Employment 20.0% 0.0% 9.5% Reaction To Training at Madison College
2023 2024 2025 Student satisfaction Mean (Out of 4) 3.7 3.7 3.5 Number of Satisfaction Responses 15 15 24 Very Satisfied (4) 10 11 11 Percent Very Satisfied 66.7% 73.3% 45.8% Satisfied (3) 5 4 13 Percent Satisfied 33.3% 26.7% 54.2% Unsatisfied (2) 0 0 0 Percent Unsatisfied 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Very Unsatisfied (1) Percent Very Unsatisfied 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Primary Reason for Attending Madison College
2023 2024 2025 Number of Primary Reason Responses 19 20 26 Preparation for Getting a Job Percent Preparation for Getting a Job Career Change Percent Career Change Improvement of Existing Skills Percent Improvement of Existing Skills Preparation for Further Education Percent Preparation for Further Education Personal Interest Percent Personal Interest Other Percent Other 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% When Employment was Obtained
2023 2024 2025 Number of When Employment Obtained Responses 12 13 19 Before Enrollment 1 3 1 Percent Before Enrollment 8.3% 23.1% 5.3% While Attending the College 2 1 2 Percent While Attending the College 16.7% 7.7% 10.5% After Training at the College 9 9 16 Percent After Training at the College 75.0% 69.2% 84.2% Location of Employment (related and unrelated)
2023 2024 2025 Number of Employment Location Responses 12 14 19 In College District 9 12 12 Percent In College District 75.0% 85.7% 63.2% In Wisconsin, Not in District 3 1 3 Percent of In Wisconsin 25.0% 7.1% 15.8% Outside of Wisconsin 0 0 2 Percent Outside Wisconsin 0.0% 0.0% 10.5% Employer Location Unknown 0 1 2 Percent Location Unknown 0.0% 7.1% 10.5% Salary Trend 2023 2024 2025 Full Time Employment (Related Job) Full Time Salary Count 10 10 14 Average Monthly Wage $4,274 $4,187 $4,315 Average Hourly Wage $24.85 $24.34 $25.09 Average Work Hours per Week 44.9 43.2 44.3 Part Time Employment (Related Job) Part Time Salary Count 0 Average Hourly Wage Average Work Hours per Week 9.0 -
Graduate Employers
Graduate Employers for academic year: 2025 Employer(s) Job Title City* State** Positions Arcforce Welding Welder Brainerd MN Custom Fabricating and Repair (CFR) Road Crew Installer Marshfield Dan Demont Welder/Metal Fabricator Pardeeville Drm Diversafab Welder Baraboo Electronic Theatre Controls Inc Welder Middleton Food Process Systems Waterjet Operator Lodi Foremost Buildings Inc Welder Jefferson Graber Manufacturing Welder Waunakee Integrated Process Engineers & Constructors Tig Welder/Fabricator Fort Atkinson La Crosse Sign Co Fabricator La Crosse Lyco Manufacturing Welder Columbus Ross Bumpers & Custom Welding Welder Fitchburg Sievert Crane & Hoist Overhead Crane Technician Forest Park IL Simply Manufacturing Welder Prairie Du Sac * - Only cities outside of Madison will display.
** - Only states outside of Wisconsin will display.
*** - If you have a position to post, please contact Career and Employment Services at jobpostings@madisoncollege.edu
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