Welding Programs at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

How do you start a welding career in Wisconsin without enrolling in a four-year degree? Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC), one of Wisconsin's welding trade schools, offers that path with a stackable set of credentials: a 32-credit Welding technical diploma, TIG and other short certificates, and a paid Welder Fabricator Apprenticeship.

The two-semester diploma at Green Bay and Marinette campuses covers SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, and FCAW, while apprenticeship allows earning while training. Wisconsin manufacturers consistently need welders, and NWTC's employer pipelines into welding jobs and on-site certification testing compress time from classroom to pay stub.

Welding Programs Offered at NWTC: Technical Diploma, Certificates, and Apprenticeship

Wisconsin Welding Schools include Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, whose core welding credential is a 32-credit Welding technical diploma completed in two semesters; the one-year program moves students through shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), and flux-cored arc welding (FCAW), often called flux core.

Technical Diploma: 32 Credits Across Two Semesters

The program is structured with 17 credits in the first semester and 15 in the second, for a 32-credit total. NWTC's welder requirements include at least a C in College 101. Because SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, and FCAW are embedded in the diploma, students train on the core arc processes rather than needing separate process certificates to cover that material.

Certificate Options

Beyond the diploma, NWTC lists welding-related certificates in its Manufacturing area, including TIG Welding - Certificate and Weld Inspection - Certificate. The published catalog does not detail a formal stacking rule that applies those certificate credits to the 32-credit diploma; the diploma already covers the major welding processes. Students may use shorter certificates as focused entry points or add-on credentials, but should confirm transfer and stacking with an NWTC advisor.

Welder Fabricator Apprenticeship

NWTC also lists a Welder Fabricator apprenticeship under Manufacturing. In that model, students typically earn while learning on the job and complete related instruction at the college. The Welding technical diploma provides the classroom and lab process training that often aligns with apprenticeship coursework, though the catalog does not state an automatic credit bridge between the diploma and apprenticeship. Prospective apprentices should ask an NWTC advisor how their diploma credits may apply.

NWTC Welding Apprenticeship: How It Works and What You Earn While You Learn

Registered welding apprenticeships have moved from a niche alternative to a core hiring pipeline as Wisconsin employers compete for welders who can pass certification tests and handle fabrication work. At Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, the Welder Fabricator Apprenticeship is a four-year registered apprenticeship that combines 7,560 hours of on-the-job training with 440 hours of paid related instruction.

How the apprenticeship is structured

The program runs 48 months and pairs you with a participating employer for hands-on welding, cutting, and fabrication work. The 440 hours of classroom related instruction are paid at your regular hourly wage, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.¹ NWTC's published related-instruction sequence includes Print Reading, Math, Cutting & Inspection, followed by Layout & Fabrication Basics with Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) and MIG welding (GMAW). The apprenticeship also includes additional Transition to Trainer training. Ask the program contact for a current syllabus, because the complete course-by-course schedule and class meeting days are not published.

Employer sponsorship and application steps

You cannot enroll independently. You first need to be hired by an approved welding shop or manufacturer, then that employer works with the Wisconsin DWD Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards¹ to register you. A high school diploma or GED is required, a valid driver's license is recommended, and you should be physically able to work with tools and lift materials. NWTC does not publish a current list of participating employers, so start by contacting the program coordinator, Christina Jungwirth, at [email protected] or 920-498-5704 to ask which companies are sponsoring apprentices in Green Bay and Marinette.

Wages and credit toward other credentials

Apprentices earn a regular hourly wage during the 440 related-instruction hours, but NWTC does not list a starting wage or wage progression. Actual pay depends on the employer's apprenticeship contract and wage schedule. Because the related classroom instruction overlaps with core welding curriculum, completed apprenticeship coursework may be evaluated for credit toward NWTC's welding technical diploma; confirm current transfer options with the coordinator.

NWTC Welding Program Length and Schedules

NWTC's Welding technical diploma is built as a two-semester, 32-credit full-time program at both the Green Bay and Marinette campuses.

Full-Time Timeline

The official 2026 program plan lists 32 total credits completed across two semesters. That averages about 16 credits per semester, which sits above NWTC's 12-credit full-time threshold. Because the plan is credit-based rather than clock-hour based, a student's actual completion time follows the credits they complete each term. NWTC does not list a month count for the welding diploma; the semester structure is the primary time frame.

Part-Time Enrollment

Part-time enrollment is available for students who take fewer than 12 credits per term, but NWTC does not list a specific part-time welding school duration in semesters or months for the Welding technical diploma. The length of a part-time plan depends on how many courses a student schedules each term. A student carrying 6 to 9 credits per term would need more than two semesters, though the exact total is not published. Prospective students who need a slower pace should talk with an NWTC advisor to map their own sequence.

Day, Evening, and Weekend Formats

Scheduling options for the welding technical diploma include Day, Evening, and Weekend formats. NWTC defines Day classes as falling within 6:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Evening classes as 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Weekend format mixes online coursework with Saturday and/or Sunday on-campus classes. Students who work during the day can use Evening or Weekend formats to keep earning while they train. Both Green Bay and Marinette list the welding technical diploma, but students should confirm which schedule formats are offered at their preferred campus before applying, since not every format may run at every location every term.

What Welders Earn in Wisconsin

NWTC Welding Credential Pathway: From Certificate to Apprenticeship

NWTC structures welding training as a stackable sequence. You can start with a short-term certificate, build into the technical diploma, and then move into a paid apprenticeship. This pathway lets you earn while you learn and keeps every credential useful on its own.

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Green Bay vs. Marinette: Which NWTC Welding Campus Is Right for You?

Choosing between NWTC's Green Bay and Marinette welding campuses depends on the credential you want, your preferred schedule, and how close you want to be to specific employer pipelines. Both campuses offer the Welding Technical Diploma and TIG Welding Certificate, but Green Bay adds the Weld Inspection Certificate and advanced robotic welding coursework. NWTC does not publish campus-specific waitlist data or booth counts, though Marinette's two welding shops are documented in a 2026 Maritime Administration overview, and Marinette is tied to Fincantieri Marinette Marine through a 607-hour apprenticeship pathway.