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Program Information

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Welder / Metal Fabricator (Fitter)

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DIPLOMA

  • School of Natural Resources & Industrial Trades
  • Duration: 74 Weeks


 APPLY NOW 

LOCATION/DELIVERY MODES & DATES
Show Legend Definitions
Hide
Delivery Legend:
C
On Campus
close
On Campus: All courses in this program will be delivered onsite at a CNA campus or at an approved location. Some courses may have online elements.
 | 
B
Blended
close
Blended: Some courses, or parts of courses, in this program will be delivered onsite at a CNA campus or at an approved location, while other courses, or parts of courses, will be delivered online or virtually to students at another location.
 | 
OA
Online - Asynchronous
close
Online - Asynchronous: Delivered fully online with no scheduled classes, and allows students to learn on their own schedule, in a flexible environment, within a certain time frame.
 | 
OS
Online - Synchronous
close
Online Synchronous: Delivered fully online with live, scheduled videoconference classes. The instructor and the students in the course engage with the course content and each other at the same time, from different locations.
Port aux Basques - On Campus delivery - September 2025

  • Overview
  • Admission Requirements
  • Courses
  • Careers & Pathways
  • Tuition & Fees

Overview

Show me more about...PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS | DID YOU KNOW? | OUTCOMES | REFERENCES

LOCATION/DELIVERY MODES & START DATES
Show Legend Definitions
Hide
Delivery Legend:
C
On Campus
close
On Campus: All courses in this program will be delivered onsite at a CNA campus or at an approved location. Some courses may have online elements.
 | 
B
Blended
close
Blended: Some courses, or parts of courses, in this program will be delivered onsite at a CNA campus or at an approved location, while other courses, or parts of courses, will be delivered online or virtually to students at another location.
 | 
OA
Online - Asynchronous
close
Online - Asynchronous: Delivered fully online with no scheduled classes, and allows students to learn on their own schedule, in a flexible environment, within a certain time frame.
 | 
OS
Online - Synchronous
close
Online Synchronous: Delivered fully online with live, scheduled videoconference classes. The instructor and the students in the course engage with the course content and each other at the same time, from different locations.
Port aux Basques - On Campus delivery - September 2025

Versatility empowers.
 
Welders and Metal Fabricators use two different but related disciplines to transform raw metal materials into new usable forms. Our lives are completely surrounded – and supported – by this craft, from architectural structures, machines and heavy equipment to railings, hand tools and cutlery. 
 
This combination of disciplines is extremely valuable in industry. There are applications for both fields across a range of industries such as auto, construction, energy and aerospace. Someone who has both welder and metal fabricator training has more choice in the job market when seeking employment. With the versatility of combined disciplines you can contribute to project efficiency with your ability to perform multiple tasks. 

With that in mind, we have created this program with components of both our Welder and Metal Fabricator programs to give you work-ready skills to enter the labour force.
You leave equipped with the skills to plan a sequence of tasks to efficiently cut metal; lay out, cut and fabricate structural steel; develop patterns or follow directions from blueprints and engineering drawings; rig, hoist and move materials; perform welds of various metals using diverse welding methods; tack weld, bolt and rivet components; assemble and fit metal sections and sub-sections; install fabricated parts in the final product; and test materials and equipment using state-of-the-art techniques.

If this versatile program is a good fit for you, apply now!

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
  • Diploma in two years
  • A combination of two Trades programs for a unique set of skills
  • Ability to pursue apprenticeship in Welder or Metal Fabricator (Fitter) upon program completion
DID YOU KNOW?
  • The global metal fabrication market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of around 4% during the forecast period, 2020-2026.1
  • Shifting trends in finance and manufacturing sectors and the adoption of automated fabrication process is expected to propel market growth.
  • Increasing demand and supply for metal fabrication across various industries such as automotive, aerospace and defense and manufacturing is anticipated.
  • Wage levels in Newfoundland and Labrador are on par with the highest in Canada.2
  • Some of the most popular metal types available for metal fabrication include titanium, brass, aluminum, magnesium, nickel, silver, copper and gold.
OUTCOMES
Upon successful completion of the program graduates will be able to: 
  1. Demonstrate safe work practices and personal protection.
  2. Interpret shop drawings, sketches and fabrication drawings.
  3. Follow required codes, specifications and standards.
  4. Prepare work area and equipment schedule.
  5. Prepare final products for finish.
  6. Demonstrate welds using SMAW, GMAW, FCAW and GTAW.
  7. Perform non-destructive testing inspections on finished products.
  8. Perform welds of various metals.
  9. Perform welds of various positions required by industry.
  10. Complete a project that encompasses skills from both welding and metal fabrication. 
REFERENCES
[1] Metal Fabrication Market Size, Growth & Industry Analysis | Research Report 2026 (dataintelo.com)
[2] Labourer - Metal Fabrication in Canada | Wages - Job Bank

Admission Requirements


Eligibility for admission requires the applicant to meet one of the following academic criteria:

1. High School
High School Graduation
2. Adult Basic Education
Adult Basic Education (Level III) Graduation with General College Profile (or Business Related College Profile or Degree and Technical Profile). It is strongly recommended that courses include the following:
i. Mathematics 1102A, 1102B, 1102C and 2102A, 2102B, 2102C or 3102A, 3102B and 3102C
ii. Science 3101, 3102, 3103
3. Trades Bridging (prior to 2024, students would have completed Comprehensive Arts and Science (CAS) Trades)
Trades Bridging Certificate
4. Mature Student Requirements
Applicants who do not meet the education prerequisites for this program, must be at least 19 years of age at the time of application and out of school for at least one year may be considered on an individual basis under the Mature Student Requirements; for more information regarding the Mature Student Requirements please refer to Procedure AC-102-PR Admission.

International Applicants – English Proficiency
All international applicants must meet the College’s English language proficiency requirements for acceptance into our regular programs; for more information regarding the College’s English language proficiency requirements please refer to AC-102-PR, Admission Procedures, Section 5.2 English Proficiency.

Courses


CODE TITLE  
Semester 1   Hrs
TS1510
close
Occupational Health and Safety 6
TS1520
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WHMIS 6
TS1530
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Standard First Aid 14
WD1390 Safety 6
WD1190 Tools and Equipment 60
WD1602 Oxy-Fuel Cutting, Heating, Gouging and Welding 60
WD1610 SMAW 1 - Set-up, Strike and Maintain an Arc 30
WD1631 GMAW 1 18
WD1661 Blueprint Reading 1 (Basic) 30
WD1670 Blueprint Reading 2 (Welding Symbols) 30
WD1620 SMAW 2 - Fillet Weld, All Positions 60
WD1430 Hoisting, Lifting, Rigging and Access Equipment 30
WD1701 Stationary Machinery 12
AM1101 Math Essentials 42
SD1761 Workplace Essentials 24
     
Semester 2   Hrs
WF1200
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Oxy-Fuel Cutting for Industry 30
SF1140 Blueprint Reading (Shop Drawings) 30
SF1150 Layout Introduction and Parallel Line Development 40
SF1160 Radial and Triangulation Layout 50
SF1460 Basic Plate Development 120
WD1185 Bending and Rolling 4
SF1400 Press Brake Operation 45
SF1410 Roll Forming Equipment and Operation 45
CM2161 Communication Essentials 36
AM1231 Metal Fabrication Math Fundamentals 42
     
Semester 3   Hrs
SF1470 Basic Assembly and Fitting 40
WD1730 Fabrication Fundamentals 15
WD1871 Build Up of Metal Parts 12
WD1721 Jigs and Fixtures 12
WD1360 MCAW (Metal Core Arc Welding) 18
WD2410 Stud and Spot Resistance Welding 4
WF1300
close
Capstone I Welder - Metal Fabricator 90
AM1001 Introduction to Skills for Success 9
     
Semester 4   Hrs
WD1270 Shielded Metal Welding (SMAW) 30
WD1801 SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding) 3 120
WF2100
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SMAW for Industry I 60
WF2110
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SMAW for Industry II 70
WD1815 Fillet and Groove Weld 6
WD1741 FCAW (Flux Cored Arc Welding) I 18
WD1892 FCAW (Flux Cored Arc Welding) 2 80
WD1770 Submerged Arc Welding Set-up 4
WD1682 Metallurgy 18
WD1651 Plasma Arc Cutting and Gouging 12
MC1062 Computer Essentials 15
     
Semester 5   Hrs
WD2910 Layout & Template Development Fundamentals 30
WD1821 GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding) 2 18
WD1832 GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding) 3 Groove Welds, All Positions, Mild Steel 30
WD1641 GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding) I 18
WD1900 Air Carbon Arc Cutting and Gouging 15
WD3020 Shop Drawings and Structural Components 30
WF2200
close
FCAW for Industry 40
WF2210
close
GTAW for Industry 80
WF2215
close
Pipe Welding for Industry 80
WD1790 Work Planning 6
AP1102 Introduction to Apprenticeship 12
AM1321 Welder Math Fundamentals 42
     
Semester 6   Hrs
WF2300
close
Capstone II Welder - Metal Fabricator 100
WDF065 Weld Faults 9
WDF030 Communication and Trade Documents 3
OT1150 Workplace Exposure 80
WD1691 Quality Control 15





 

Careers & Pathways


CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Graduates may  find employment in the following areas:
  • Machine shops
  • Fabrication plants
  • Production plants
  • Oil and Gas
  • Mining
  • Ship Yards

 



Tuition & Fees


Canadian Students

The confirmation fee is due within two weeks of receipt of your Letter of Acceptance. It is required in order to hold your seat in the program.

Base Fees

Mandatory Fees

  • Application Fee - $30.00 per program (non-refundable) | Application Page
    Application fees must be paid for each application to the College.
    Application fees are only refundable if the program does not go ahead, and the applicant does not want to transfer the application to another program.
  • Confirmation Fee - $103.00 per program annually (non-refundable)
    Student must pay a non-refundable fee on confirmation of acceptance to each program at the College. The fee covers registration and student association fees and is paid annually for the duration of the program.
  • Academic Audit Fee (once per program) - $50.00
  • Technology Fee (per semester) - $83.00
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Full-Time Student Fees

Certificate & Diploma Programs:

Regular Term (15-weeks)
Trades programs (per week) - $88.00

Intersession (up to 7-weeks)
Trades programs (per week) - $88.00
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Part-Time Student Fees

Certificate & Diploma Programs:

Trades programs (per 30 hours) - $88.00

Regulations

Regulations Governing Payment of Fees & Charges

  1. All student fees must be paid by the date specified in each term.  The dates are listed in the Academic Calendar on page. Students receiving Student Aid must present their notification of Student Aid form on the first day of classes. These students are permitted to have fees outstanding until receipt of the Student Aid, at which time these students must pay their accounts in full.
  2. Students who have not paid all fees within the time limits given in these regulations may have their registration cancelled by the College.
  3. Students with outstanding accounts will be ineligible for a subsequent term, will not be awarded a diploma or certificate, access to register, and will not be issued a certificate of standing (transcript), grade report, or access to on-line grades until the outstanding account has been paid in full. It is the student’s responsibility to address outstanding balances and to work with their respective campus student services office on inquiries related to their account balance.
  4. Should the College cancel a program, all tuition and fees paid will be refunded.
  5. Out of sequence students registering or withdrawing within a term will pay a prorated tuition and equipment and materials fee per week.
  6. Students taking courses above their normal term load (requires application to extend normal course load per semester) will pay tuition for each additional course taken.
  7. Senior Citizens, 60 years and older, are required to pay 50% of confirmation fee and tuition.
  8. Students wishing to audit a course will pay 50% of the tuition and 100% of the technology fees (if applicable).

 

International Students

A fee, which is applied toward program tuition and compulsory fees and includes a deposit fee, is due within two weeks of receipt of your Letter of Acceptance.

Base Fees

Mandatory Fees

  • Application Fee - $100.00 per program (non-refundable) | Application Page
    Applicants must pay a non-refundable fee for each application to the College.
  • The following fees are due within two (2) weeks of date of Letter of of acceptance to each program at the college:
    • Confirmation Fee - $103.00 per program annually (non-refundable)
      Student must pay this non-refundable fee on confirmation of acceptance to each program at the College. The fee covers registration and student association fees and is paid annually for the duration of the program.
    • First Semester Tuition- which includes the $1500 Deposit Fee
      Deposit fee - $1500 non-refundable, non-transferable fee.
  • Academic Audit Fee (once per program) - $50.00
  • Technology Fee (per semester) - $83.00
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Full-Time Student Fees

Certificate & Diploma Programs:

Regular Term (15-weeks)
Natural Resources & Industrial Trades (per semester) - $4,685.00
Exceptions:
  • Heavy Equipment Operator (per semester) - $5,311.00
  • Commercial Driver (per semester) - $5,311.00
  • Heavy Equipment Operator (per week) - $354.00
  • Commercial Driver (per week) - $354.00
  • All other Trade programs (per week) - $313.00


Intersession (up to 7-weeks)
Natural Resources & Industrial Trades (per semester) - $2,344.00
Exceptions:
  • Heavy Equipment Operator (per week) - $354.00
  • Commercial Driver (per week) - $354.00
  • All other Trade programs (per week) - $313.00
line-separator

Part-Time Student Fees

Certificate & Diploma Programs:

Tuition Fee (per course) - $1,046.00
Exceptions:
  • Heavy Equipment Operator (per week) - $354.00
  • Commercial Driver (per week) - $354.00
  • All other Trade programs (per week) - $313.00

Estimated Program Costs

The document below is meant to highlight estimated program costs for the intake of 2024-2025. The estimates apply only to International Student. All costs shown are subject to change without notice.

Estimated Program Costs for International Students (2024-2025) 


Making Payments

Application fee:
If applying online, the application fee must be paid via credit card when completing and submitting your application to College of the North Atlantic.

For all other tuition payments:
College of the North Atlantic has partnered with PayMyTuition for international tuition payments. All tuition payments, unless otherwise noted, can be paid via PayMyTuition. With PayMyTuition, you can pay your tuition payments from any bank, in any country in any currency at better than bank exchange rates. PayMyTuition is fast, simple, and cost effective.
Please note that you can only use PayMyTuition once you have being assigned a CNA student number.
PayMyTuition Logo


Regulations

Regulations Governing Payment of Fees & Charges

  1. All student fees must be paid by the date specified in each term.  The dates are listed in the Academic Calendar on page. Students receiving Student Aid must present their notification of Student Aid form on the first day of classes. These students are permitted to have fees outstanding until receipt of the Student Aid, at which time these students must pay their accounts in full.
  2. Students who have not paid all fees within the time limits given in these regulations may have their registration cancelled by the College.
  3. Students with outstanding accounts will be ineligible for a subsequent term, will not be awarded a diploma or certificate, access to register, and will not be issued a certificate of standing (transcript), grade report, or access to on-line grades until the outstanding account has been paid in full. It is the student’s responsibility to address outstanding balances and to work with their respective campus student services office on inquiries related to their account balance.
  4. Should the College cancel a program, all tuition and fees paid will be refunded.
  5. Out of sequence students registering or withdrawing within a term will pay a prorated tuition and equipment and materials fee per week.
  6. Students taking courses above their normal term load (requires application to extend normal course load per semester) will pay tuition for each additional course taken.
  7. Senior Citizens, 60 years and older, are required to pay 50% of confirmation fee and tuition.
  8. Students wishing to audit a course will pay 50% of the tuition and 100% of the technology fees (if applicable).



 APPLY NOW 
College of the North Atlantic reserves the right to cancel or alter the delivery date and location of any program offering and delivery method, and will do so in a timely manner in order to minimize the impact on applicants.
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