Welding for Shipbuilding
Welding for Shipbuilding
Turn your hands-on drive into a career that helps rebuild Texas shipyards. LSCPA's Welding for Shipbuilding program gives you the practical training and industry-relevant skills to step into the marine industry fast. This 12-week intensive course prepares you for entry-level shipyard welding roles — and the skills you build transfer across marine, industrial, and structural welding careers. You'll start with NCCER CORE and Welding Level 1, then train on flux cored welding, confined space work, and simulated real-world scenarios. From your first weld to your finished certificate, you'll build the skills that prepare you for a meaningful career — close to home.
Tuition Assistance: Tuition assistance up to 100% is available for most students.
Top Careers in Welding for Shipbuilding
A career in shipyard welding puts you at the center of Texas's maritime comeback. Ships, barges, and large marine structures all depend on skilled welders who know how to work safely in demanding environments. You'll learn the fundamentals of the trade, the safety practices the industry relies on, and the hands-on skills that get the job done. Your training prepares you to step straight into one of the region's most in-demand fields.
Welding skills travel with you across many settings. This program prepares you for entry-level shipyard welding roles, but your skills carry over into marine, industrial, and structural welding careers, too. Texas shipyards are expanding again, creating steady, long-term work for skilled welders ready to roll up their sleeves. Shipbuilding offers stable wages, room to advance, and long-term employment as the state reinvests in maritime infrastructure.
The pay reflects that demand. In the Beaumont–Port Arthur area, welders earn about $59,190 a year at the median, which runs ahead of the statewide Texas median of about $53,340 a year. And there's real room to grow. Local welders in the area range from about $40,080 for those starting out to $83,680 for the top earners, while statewide pay spans about $38,380 to $80,240. With experience, certifications, and steady shipyard work close to home, you can build toward the higher end of that range and a paycheck that supports your family.
Schedule a Meeting
Ready to learn more? Our Workforce and Continuing Education team can walk you through
the program, prerequisites, and funding options.
Space is limited — call today.
Placida Cole
TRUE Grant Coordinator
Phone: 409-984-6599
Email: collinspc@lamarpa.edu
Program Information
The LSCPA Welding for Shipbuilding program is built to move with you — toward your certificate and the job you want. As workforce career training, it gives you a fast start without years of classroom time. Here's how the program sets you up for success:
- Start with the core. You'll begin with NCCER CORE and Welding Level 1, building a strong foundation in the fundamentals and safety practices every welder needs.
- Build specialized skills. Your training puts a flux cored emphasis on your learning and adds confined space welding, so you're ready for the real demands of shipyard work.
- Train in real-world scenarios. You'll practice with simulated real-world scenarios that mirror what you'll face on the job, so you finish ready to work.
- Get a fast path to apprenticeship. Graduates of this course are given priority for enrollment in the Shipfitter Apprenticeship.
- Get help with tuition. Tuition is $6,000, and tuition assistance up to 100% is available for most students — so cost doesn't stand between you and a better career.
With job-ready welding skills and a fast track to apprenticeship, you can step into the workforce quickly and keep building a career on a timeline that fits your goals.
What is the Welding for Shipbuilding program at LSCPA?
The program is workforce training that prepares you for entry-level shipyard welding roles. In this 12-week intensive course, you'll earn NCCER CORE and Welding Level 1 while building hands-on skills that transfer across marine, industrial, and structural welding careers. It's practical, career-focused training designed to get you job-ready.
Is this a college degree program?
No. This is workforce and continuing education training that leads to a certificate, not an academic degree. It's designed to help you build practical welding skills and industry-relevant preparation quickly, so you can start working — close to home.
How long is the program?
The program runs as a 12-week intensive training. You'll move quickly through the fundamentals and into specialized shipyard welding skills, so your training pays off fast.
What will I learn?
You'll build a strong foundation in welding for the shipyard, including:
- NCCER CORE and Welding Level 1
- Flux cored emphasis
- Confined space welding
- Simulated real-world scenarios
How much does it cost?
Tuition is $6,000. The good news: tuition assistance up to 100% is available for most students. Our team can help you explore your options so cost doesn't hold you back.
Who can apply?
To apply, you must:
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Be legally authorized to work in the U.S.
- Be registered with the Selective Service System (if male)
What is the Shipfitter Apprenticeship opportunity?
Graduates of this course are given priority for enrollment in the Shipfitter Apprenticeship — a fast path to put your new skills to work and keep advancing in the marine industry.
Are there real jobs in shipbuilding?
Yes. Texas shipyards are expanding again, creating steady, long-term careers for skilled welders ready to work in demanding marine environments. Shipbuilding offers stable wages, advancement potential, and long-term employment as Texas reinvests in maritime infrastructure.
Why does this training matter?
Shipyard employers need welders who can work safely and skillfully in real conditions. This program gives you hands-on practice and industry-relevant skills, which helps you stand out and start your career on solid ground.
How do I get started?
Take the first step today. Space is limited, so reach out to Placida Cole at 409-984-6599 or collinspc@lamarpa.edu to learn more and find out how to apply — one clear step at a time, close to home.
The LSCPA Advantage
Ready to turn your work ethic into a career you can count on? Your path in shipyard welding starts at LSCPA. This workforce certificate program gives you a strong, affordable foundation — and sets you up to enter a high-demand field with confidence.
At LSCPA, you learn from instructors who know the trade and care about your success. You'll start with NCCER CORE and Welding Level 1, then build specialized skills with a flux cored emphasis, confined space welding, and simulated real-world scenarios that mirror the job. In just 12 weeks, you'll be ready for entry-level shipyard welding work. Best of all, tuition assistance up to 100% is available for most students, and graduates earn priority enrollment in the Shipfitter Apprenticeship.
By the end of the program, you'll have more than training. You'll have job-ready skills that transfer across marine, industrial, and structural welding careers — and open doors as Texas shipyards expand again. It's affordable, career-focused training that meets you where you are — and prepares you for wherever you want to build your future.