Universal Technical Institute, a leading provider of transportation technician training, announced the expansion of its Welding Technology program to its Bloomfield, New Jersey campus. Students will be able to enroll starting March 1 and classes will start in July. Simultaneously, UTI confirmed that the welding program at its Lisle, Illinois, campus will launch on Feb. 22, with strong interest and enrollments from new students.
“With each new welding program launch, we see consistent interest from both students and employer partners. Welders are the backbone of our country’s economy and will be critical to our economic recovery,” said Sherrell Smith, executive vice president of campus operations. “Even in the midst of record national unemployment, welders are needed across essential industries such as energy, manufacturing and transportation. Our 36-week program trains students on the skills employers require and can be a fast track to a new job and a fulfilling career.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national median salary for welders is $42,490. By 2028, more than 488,000 welding jobs are projected.

The Lisle and Bloomfield campus programs will be the sixth and seventh welding programs offered at UTI campuses across the country. They will build on successful welding programs at UTI campuses in Rancho Cucamonga and Long Beach, California, Avondale, Arizona, and Dallas and Houston, Texas. The company plans to expand the program to two additional campuses in fiscal year 2022, with locations and launch timing to be announced at a later date. With the launch of two welding programs in fiscal year 2020, in aggregate the company has started more than 200 new welding students in each of the last two quarters.