River Parishes Community College — Reserve Campus

The 48-credit Welding Technical Diploma is a four-semester employment pathway aligned with NCCER Core and Welding Levels 1 and 2 and AWS SENSE Entry Welder guidelines. The sequence begins with oxyfuel, plasma and air-carbon arc cutting and progresses through Stick welding on plate and pipe, MIG and Flux-Core welding on plate and pipe, and TIG welding on carbon, low-alloy and stainless-steel pipe. Students must earn at least a C in each course and can qualify for NCCER and AWS certification examinations.

The 23-credit Entry Welder Certificate of Technical Studies is the first two semesters of RPCC's progressive welding pathway. It covers oxyfuel, plasma and air-carbon arc cutting and gouging, Stick welding beads, fillets and grooves, and Stick pipe welding in 2G, 5G and 6G positions. The award aligns with NCCER Welding Level 1 and the broader academic pathway follows AWS SENSE Entry Welder guidelines.

The 8-credit Welder Helper Career and Technical Certificate is the first semester of RPCC's welding pathway. It combines the NCCER Core course with Welding Fundamentals I, which covers welding-trade equipment setup and supervised practice in oxyfuel cutting, plasma cutting and air-carbon arc cutting and gouging. Completion of the Core course makes students eligible for the NCCER Core credential.