Metal Fabrication & Joining Technologies

Metal Fabricating and Joining involves fastening metal components together—playing an important role in industries that include construction, automotive, marine, aerospace, and product manufacturing.

Metal Fabrication & Joining students learn skills for working with metal in fields such as construction, heavy equipment repair, ventilation and air conditioning, and creative blacksmithing. Beginning in a school-based workshop and proceeding to active job sites, students learn how to measure, cut, and bend metal to blueprint specifications using manual and semi-automatic equipment. Specific tools they use include brakes, shears, presses, rolls, forming machines, welders and punches. Over the course of the program, students master a variety of welding techniques, including brazing and soldering.

Some schools offer State-Approved (Chapter-74) programs in Metal Fabrication and Joining. These programs provide all of the training required to begin entry-level work in the field. Other schools may offer a more condensed version of this training, which has been designed at the local level. This is known as Non-Chapter 74 or "Perkins-Only." Learn more about the difference between State-Approved and Local CTE programs.