To meet area employers’ needs for more highly skilled welders, McHenry County College will offer college-credit classes toward two new welding certificate programs.

The college has offered noncredit Boot Camp welding and advanced welding classes through its Continuing Education Department for 10 years, and college officials decided to expand the current offerings to include credit certificates. The certificate classes will begin in January 2019. Each certificate program is 18 credits. The cost is about $1,926.

The new welding certificate programs provide students with more in-depth knowledge and hands-on training of MIG, TIG and stick welding.

A method called spray transfer also has been added to the course. According to indeed.com, 260 welding job openings were listed this week within a 25-mile radius of Crystal Lake.

“Welding is a foundational manufacturing skill,” said Terri Berryman, associate vice president of career education. “We’re hearing from area employers that they need welders with more in-depth welding skills sets. While they might not hire welders, they need workers who can perform the skills of a welder to repair or perform maintenance on a machine.

“The college is very excited to offer these two new certificates to our existing manufacturing and industrial maintenance-focused curriculum,” Bob Mihelich, chair and instructor of applied technology, said in a news release. “The introductory basic certificate will help students learn foundational skills in welding fabrication processes, while the advanced certificate allows them to specialize their craft. We are also looking into integrating the curriculum into our existing coursework.”

For information on MCC’s welding certificate programs, call the MCC Fast Track Office at 815-479-7831.