Maritime Welding Technology is a Diploma program offered by Advanced Technology Institute in Virginia Beach, VA. The program takes 15 months to complete, with a total tuition of $28,320.
Program Overview
The Maritime Welding Technology diploma program offers training in the practical aspects of construction and repair of equipment and structures built with steel. In addition to structural skills, students will learn to weld pipe in multiple positions. Instruction is presented in both classroom and laboratory using modern welding equipment and tools. Students gain hands-on experience in a realistic shop setting where they must demonstrate specific proficiencies. Emphasis is placed on safety and standard procedures followed in shipyards and repair facilities. This program prepares students for entry-level employment as a combination structural and pipe welder.
What sets this Program apart
Advanced Technology Institute is an American Welding Society Certified Test Facility. Emphasis is placed on safety and standard procedures followed in shipyards and repair facilities.
Throughout the program, students have the opportunity to earn AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code certifications, including the AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code-Steel Tack Welder Qualification (MWT117), the AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code – 6G Pipe Welder Certification (MWT221), and an AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code – Steel Certification in FCAW and GTAW processes (MWT222).
Recognized for opportunity. In 2025, Advanced Technology Institute was named an Opportunity College by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education.
Employers come to you. A Program Advisory Committee of local employers helps keep ATI's curriculum current, and employers recruit on campus year-round — through hiring events and ATI's annual Career Fair — so you can connect with them before you graduate.
About 80% hands-on. Most instructional time is spent welding in dedicated booths, learning five welding processes and three cutting techniques on both steel and aluminum, structural and pipe. ATI is an American Welding Society (AWS) Certified Test Facility, and students can earn AWS D1.1 certifications on-site — including the Tack Welder qualification, 6G Pipe certification, and FCAW/GTAW steel certification. You are issued your own tool kit (yours to keep on graduation), and steel-toed boots are required.
Admission Requirements and Process
Training programs at Advanced Technology Institute are open to individuals who have satisfied the admissions requirements. To apply for admission, applicants should contact Advanced Technology Institute to arrange a personal interview and tour of the school. Applicants are under no obligation until they complete the admissions interview, enrollment agreement, and pay their enrollment deposit.
General Requirements
- Personal Admissions InterviewAll new applicants must complete a Personal Admissions Interview.
- Application and Enrollment AgreementAll new applicants must complete and submit an Application for Admission and an Enrollment Agreement.
- High School Diploma or GEDProvide a U.S. high school diploma, a recognized equivalent of a high school diploma such as a General Education Development (GED) certificate, or completion of homeschool…
- Wonderlic Admissions AssessmentAchieve acceptable scores on the Admissions Assessment(s). Advanced Technology Institute uses the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam (SLE). The minimum acceptable score on the exam…
- Background CheckAll applicants must undergo a preliminary background check. Any applicant with a poor driving record or prior criminal conviction may experience denial of admission.
- Drug/Alcohol ScreeningAs a condition of acceptance, Advanced Technology Institute students may be required to provide evidence of passing a current drug/alcohol screening test.
- Foreign Credential EvaluationApplicants who attended secondary school outside of the United States must provide a credential evaluation from a NACES member organization, and those educated in a language other…
Application Process
- 1Contact AdmissionsTo apply for admission, contact Advanced Technology Institute to arrange a personal interview and tour of the school.
- 2Complete Your Admissions InterviewMeet with an admissions representative for your Personal Admissions Interview. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their intentions with their family and to have them visit the school.
- 3Pass the Admissions AssessmentAchieve a passing score on the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam (SLE); the minimum acceptable score is 11.
- 4Tour the FacilityTour the campus shops and meet the instructors. Walk-ins are welcome, but scheduling a visit in advance will likely speed up the process.
- 5Submit Your Application and Enrollment AgreementComplete and submit an Application for Admission and an Enrollment Agreement, and provide proof of high school completion before classes start.
- 6Complete Your FAFSA and Financial Aid ApplicationsBefore beginning classes, each student must complete the required Financial Aid applications and/or complete all timely obligations of a Tuition Payment Plan.FAFSA Code for Main Campus: 031275Fill Out the FAFSA
- 7Start ClassesOnce all required documentation is received and your enrollment is complete, begin classes on your scheduled start date.
Program Schedule
At Advanced Technology Institute, instruction is offered in five-week modules, and three consecutive modules are equal to a student's semester, which is 15 weeks. Students attend class five (5) hours per day, four (4) days per week on various schedules; students cannot be guaranteed a specific schedule. To complete the program requirements in a timely manner, students must carry a minimum load of 12 credit hours per semester, which is considered full time. Program length is approximately 15 months (including breaks and holidays) for all schedules.
Our start dates are as follows:
- August 31, 2026
- October 5, 2026
- November 9, 2026
- December 14, 2026
- November 09th, 2026
- December 14th, 2026
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
Cost of Attendance
The Maritime Welding Technology program is approximately 15 months in length and comprises 48 semester credit hours. Program costs are as follows:
- Tuition: $28,320 (four semesters at $7,080 each)
- Technology Fee: $1,560
- Total Program Cost: $29,880
- Application Fee: $50 (one-time, non-refundable fee, waived for veterans and active duty)
When required, use of textbooks for the time needed to complete courses is provided at no cost. Two ATI school uniform shirts, one jacket, one hat, and one pair of safety glasses are provided to all students at no additional charge. In addition to the tuition and fees costs, the approximate cost of safety shoes and extra uniform shirts is approximately $180 for all programs. Students who are receiving benefits under the Veteran's Administration or Military Tuition Assistance programs are charged per credit hour.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available to help qualified students pay for their education. Advanced Technology Institute offers many financial aid options to help students and their families determine the best way to pay for an education. Sources of financial aid include:
- Federal Pell Grant
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
- Federal Work-Study
- Federal Direct Subsidized Loan
- Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan
- Federal Direct PLUS Loan
- Chapter 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill and Montgomery GI Bill educational benefits
- Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment benefits
- Military Tuition Assistance
- Advanced Technology Institute Scholarships
- Private loan program serviced by Tuition Options
- State Aid administered under the state's Employment Commission or Vocational Rehabilitation
- Employer Assistance
- Benefits funded through the U.S. Department of Labor via the local Hampton Roads Workforce Council
Advanced Technology Institute students may make monthly in-school payments to the Institute. The in-school payments may reduce the amount of money students borrow and must repay after they graduate or withdraw.
Total program tuition is $28,320, charged as four semesters of $7,080 each (tuition only; technology and application fees are billed separately).
Curriculum
The Maritime Welding Technology diploma program consists of 12 courses totaling 1,200 clock hours and 48 semester credit hours:
The required courses below are from Advanced Technology Institute's published catalog.
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
Career Outcomes
The Maritime Welding Technology diploma prepares graduates for entry-level employment as a combination structural and pipe welder. Building on the program's coursework, graduates pursue roles such as:
- Structural Welder
- Pipe Welder
- Combination Welder
- Shipyard Welder
- Fabrication Welder
- MIG / TIG / Stick Welding Technician
Students choose to attend Advanced Technology Institute because they want to gain the required skills necessary for entry into fast-growing job fields. Among those necessary skills is the ability to prepare for and conduct a job search. Advanced Technology Institute works with each student every step of the way as graduation nears and students begin an employment search. Advanced Technology Institute's dedicated Career Services Advisors are ready to work one-on-one with students to:
- Review résumé
- Assist with interviewing techniques
- Discuss career choice
- Provide help in career/job-market research
- Assist with marketing the student's skills to potential employers
- Generate job leads and offer networking opportunities for employers and students
Career Services develops and maintains relationships with employers to determine hiring needs and to facilitate employment of students and employment of graduates in positions related to their fields of study. Career Services assists students by developing interview skills, résumé preparation, and guidance on how to conduct a successful job search.
Although graduates cannot be guaranteed employment or starting salary, Advanced Technology Institute has long been a source of qualified applicants for employers. Advanced Technology Institute graduates are often scheduled or referred for job interviews as employment openings occur. Although Career Services Advisors maintain contact with several employers to identify employment opportunities, students are also expected to participate actively in their employment search campaign and to assume ultimate responsibility for their employment.
ATI's welding hiring partners include Newport News Shipbuilding, BAE Systems, Fairlead, and Acoustical Sheetmetal.
What to expect as an Advanced Technology Institute student
As an Advanced Technology Institute student, you will train in more than 58,000 square feet of modern shops, laboratories, and classrooms equipped to mirror the environments you will work in after graduation, working hands-on with modern welding equipment to build and repair steel structures and to weld pipe in multiple positions, using the safety and standard procedures followed in shipyards and repair facilities.
Instruction is delivered in focused five-week modules by experienced, industry-credentialed instructors. You will progress through the program with a cohort of classmates on a schedule built to develop real, demonstrable proficiency, with opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials along the way.
Beyond the classroom and shop, ATI's Career Services team works one-on-one with you as graduation approaches — reviewing your résumé, sharpening your interviewing skills, and connecting you with employer partners across Hampton Roads and beyond.
ATI is a Yellow Ribbon school and welcomes veterans and active-duty military. Furnished, apartment-style student housing is available near campus for students relocating to the Virginia Beach area, and ATI's WellConnect program offers students and their families 24/7 support at no cost.
Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
Attending an accredited institution means your education has met rigorous, independently reviewed quality standards designed to protect students.
This program: Advanced Technology Institute is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC); welding is taught and tested at an American Welding Society (AWS) Certified Test Facility.
- A reliable indicator of educational quality
- Eligible for federal Title IV financial aid
- Recognized by employers nationwide
- Credits earned toward a respected credential
Accreditations
Student Demographics
These are demographics for all students at the Main Campus (IPEDS, 2024).