Photo credit: J.D. Scott

ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Washtenaw Community College (WCC) is responding to industry demand by expanding its highly successful welding and fabrication training with the launch of a new Weekend Welders Program in Fall 2025.

Designed for busy working adults, the program provides a flexible, career-focused path to high-demand welding jobs without disrupting weekday responsibilities.

Starting this Fall, students will have the opportunity to earn:

• An Associate in Applied Science in Welding Technology (APWLDF),
• A Welding and Fabrication Principles Certificate (CTWLDS), and
• A Welding and Fabrication Advanced Applications Certificate (CVWLDN).
  

Classes will meet only on Sundays for 11 consecutive semesters, offering hands-on welding training alongside required liberal arts coursework. The cohort-based format allows students to progress together, providing support and continuity.

The innovative new program is “a game-changer” for working adults who want to reskill, upskill or forge a new career path, said Eva Samulski, Dean of Career and Technical Education at WCC.

The college is home to one of the largest welding training labs in the state, with 72 booths, and enrolls more than 400 welding students each semester.

“This format supports student retention and completion and also empowers individuals to launch into high-demand, high-wage careers on a schedule that fits their lives,” she said. “We’re working to serve those who want to learn this skill but can’t commit to a traditional Monday-through-Friday, full-time program. To meet the needs of today’s learners, we must offer flexible opportunities that align with their lifestyles.”

WCC also partners with Wayne State University and Eastern Michigan University to offer transfer pathways for advanced degrees in welding or metallurgical engineering.

High Demand, High Opportunity

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 45,000 welding jobs are projected to open each year through 2033.

Additionally, Forbes reports there are over 1 million unfilled skilled trade jobs nationwide, with welders critical for many projects, making now an ideal time for individuals to enter or advance in the trades.

The new format paves the way for some students to enter the field in entry-level welding jobs as early as Fall 2026, earning stackable certificates along the way and gaining in-demand skills while still maintaining their weekday commitments.

WEEKEND WELDING AT WCC: Enroll Now!
Prospective students can learn more or schedule an appointment with an academic advisor by emailing atp.div@wccnet.edu or visiting WCC’s Weekend Welders Program webpage.

About Washtenaw Community College
Washtenaw Community College (WCC), Ann Arbor, Michigan, educates students through a wide range of associate and certificate programs in areas such as healthcare, business, STEM and advanced transportation and mobility. The college also works through community, business and union partnerships to develop highly specialized training programs to meet the region’s workforce talent needs.

For more information about Washtenaw Community College, visit www.wccnet.edu.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a3780911-9cd8-40dc-8886-33b2b59b48cc

MEDIA CONTACT
Fran LeFort, 734-677-5295