This course is designed to help you conquer the Red Seal Welder exam and become a certified welder in Canada. Review blog articles on the Red Seal Certification here.
This intensive review course is ideal for experienced welders who possess the theoretical knowledge and practical skills outlined in the National Occupational Analysis (NOA).
The eight-week program covers all the essential concepts and areas tested on the exam, ensuring you're fully prepared on exam day. Here's a breakdown of the topics:
Core Occupational Skills: Sharpen your abilities in areas like maintaining equipment, handling materials, and interpreting blueprints.
Fabrication and Component Prep: Master the processes of preparing and fabricating metal components for welding.
Cutting and Gouging Techniques: Learn various cutting and gouging methods for efficient metalwork.
In-Depth Welding Processes: Gain a deep understanding of different welding techniques used in the industry.
Become a Red-Seal Welder
Welders use specialized equipment to join metals permanently. They work in diverse fields, from manufacturing to construction, building structures, repairing parts, and creating various metal products.
Apply heat to permanently join metal pieces using filler metals or fusion techniques.
Assemble parts for manufacturing, build structures, and repair damaged or worn metal components.
Utilize various welding processes to join structural steel, vessels, piping, and other metal elements.
Employ cutting and gouging techniques alongside fabrication skills to create parts, tools, and equipment used in construction and manufacturing.
Specialize in specific welding areas like custom fabrication, shipbuilding, or pressure vessel welding.
Welders can find employment in various settings, including:
Fabrication shops
Steel and platform manufacturers
Petrochemical refineries
Mechanical contracting firms
Transportation contractors (heavy machinery, aircraft, shipbuilding, railcar repair)
Specialized welding shops
Their work environment can be indoors or outdoors, and sometimes travel to remote locations may be required.
To excel as a welder, you'll need:
Strong mechanical aptitude
Manual dexterity and good hand-eye coordination
Excellent vision
The ability to focus on detail-oriented tasks
The capacity to work independently and collaboratively
Efficiency, accuracy, and the ability to visualize finished products
Logical reasoning and an understanding of metallurgy
With experience, Red Seal welders can progress to leadership roles like lead hand, welding supervisor, inspector, or project manager. Their skills are transferable to related trades such as industrial mechanics, sheet metal workers, pipefitters, metal fabricators, ironworkers, and boilermakers.
The welding industry is constantly evolving. Here are some exciting trends:
Energy-efficient and lightweight welding equipment
Integration of computers and microprocessors for power sources
Advanced welding automation for improved quality, repeatability, and production rates
Digital communication systems for faster and more adaptable operations
Pulsed welding technology for superior results on aluminum, stainless steel, and other alloys
Modified short-circuit welding for high-quality welds with minimal spatter and increased productivity
Eligibility Note:
Before enrolling in this course, confirm your eligibility to write the Red Seal Exam by contacting your local trades authority.
Take charge of your welding career. Register today and prepare to become a Red-Seal welder!
Subject to change without notice
Kevin Soley is a journeyman and Red Seal welder who has been in the welding trade for 26 years. He started his welding apprenticeship at Red Deer College in 1992 and received his Journeyman and Red Seal Status in 1994. Next, he passed his Alberta B- Pressure test and successfully ran his own welding business for 25 years. After acquiring his Red Seal Certification, he has had the privilege of welding all across western Canada. In 2013, Kevin started a different journey as an instructor in the welding trade. He was fortunate enough to receive an award as “Southern Alberta’s Top Trades Instructor” in 2014. This nomination came from students he had taught over the years. He feels that his success in the teaching field comes from understanding students and being able to present the information in a way that students will understand. He learns as much from his students as he teaches them. He is a tradesperson, just like his students, but with a little more knowledge of the trade.
Al Blacker is a Red Seal “B-Pressure” Welder, a Category 1 Commercial Diver, holds a Bachelor of Education in Trades and Manufacturing Technology, and is currently pursuing a Master of Education at the University of Alberta. With over 30 years of experience in the welding industry, Al has taught in the apprenticeship programs at Red Deer Polytech and NAIT. Recently, he retired as a Metal Fabrication Teacher in high school. Al finds joy in working with students of all ages, sharing the knowledge and skills he has acquired both on land and underwater. In his spare time, he engages in retrofitting CNC equipment and manufacturing unique projects.
Junior Ferguson is a Red Seal Journeyman welder, CWB Level 2 Visual Inspector, and small business owner currently living in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. He started his career at Nova Scotia Community College in 1994. Soon after moved to British Columbia and for 12 years he worked at various shops in the lower mainland near Vancouver, working on a large variety of projects such as Transport, Aviation, Medical, and Military Research and Development.
In 2001, Junior passed his CWB Level 2 Visual Inspectors’ certification and started doing shutdowns as a Quality Control Supervisor on different sites across the country. During this time, he ended up spending a lot of time training and testing welders for ASME Section IX certifications and has provincial welder testing accreditation in Saskatchewan.
Caleb Matthews is a Red Seal Journeyman Welder with over 15 years in the mining industry. He started his career in Fort McMurray at a shop supporting one of the mines there. Through work at that shop and for a few other companies, Caleb got the opportunity to practice many aspects of welding and fabrication. Equipment repair offered many challenges and unique opportunities to find solutions on many different types of equipment. When working for a manufacturer in Edmonton, Caleb was able to learn and practice fabrication from blueprints and finer tolerances.
At the mine where Caleb currently works, he has had the opportunity to become a trainer for many topics, including working with the tradespeople in the maintenance departments. He has gained a strong understanding of adult learning techniques through his work as a trainer. He wants to transfer his passion for learning to others around him and to help them be successful in their goals.
Caleb has joined the safety department at his mine recently and is also a part of the Mine Rescue team and Fire Department there. In his time off, he enjoys spending time with his wife and their pets, as well as some skateboarding, pickleball, and staying fit through various exercises.
None required. Optional resources may be selected by the instructor.
The registration fee for this course is $495.
Get the Best of Both Worlds: Live and Asynchronous Learning at Ashton College
Ashton College understands that everyone learns differently, which is why we offer a unique blended learning approach for our live online courses. This approach combines the real-time interaction and immediate feedback of live sessions with the flexibility and self-paced learning of asynchronous materials.
Experience the benefits of both worlds:
Live Online Sessions:
Interact with instructors and classmates in real-time using interactive sessions, breakout rooms, and screen sharing.
Get instant feedback and ask questions for a deeper understanding.
Asynchronous Learning:
Learn at your own pace with recorded lectures, online readings, and discussion forums.
Review materials as needed and revisit difficult concepts for better comprehension.
We encourage you to participate in both components to maximize your learning experience:
Enjoy the interactivity and community of live sessions.
Benefit from the flexibility of studying at your own pace.
Technical Requirements:
Computer System: Fully functional computer with webcam, speakers, and microphone (headset recommended).
Internet Connection: Reliable high-speed internet connection.
Device: While accessible on smartphones and tablets, we recommend using a laptop or desktop computer for a better learning experience.
This program/course does not require approval by the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. As such, PTIB did not review the program/course.
