Trades Leadership with Specialization in Maritime Welding Technology

Training programs are open to individuals who have satisfied the admissions requirements.

To attend Advanced Technology Institute's programs, all new applicants must:

• Complete a Personal Admissions Interview.
• Complete and submit an Application for Admission and an Enrollment Agreement.
• Provide 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 education.
• Achieve acceptable scores on the Admissions Assessment(s). Advanced Technology Institute uses the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam (SLE). The minimum acceptable score on the exam is 11.

Before beginning classes, each student must complete the required Financial Aid applications and/or complete all timely obligations of a Tuition Payment Plan. All programs of instruction are open to qualified applicants who have earned at least a high school diploma or GED. Admissions testing is required of all applicants. All applicants must undergo a preliminary background check.

Admissions Procedures

To apply, applicants should schedule an admissions interview, achieve a passing score on the Admissions Assessment, tour the facility, and complete an enrollment agreement. Applicants are under no obligation until they complete the admissions interview, enrollment agreement, and pay their enrollment deposit. Upon completion of the application process, applicants have three business days to request a full refund of monies paid less the non-refundable Application Fee.

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 18 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

The Trades Leadership with a Specialization in Maritime Welding Technology Associate in Occupational Science (A.O.S.) degree program consists of 15 courses totaling 1,500 clock hours and 60 semester credit hours:

Cost of Attendance

The Trades Leadership with Specialization in Maritime Welding Technology program is approximately 18 months in length and comprises 60 semester credit hours. Program costs are as follows:

• Tuition: $35,400 (five semesters at $7,080 each)
• Technology Fee: $1,950
• Total Program Cost: $37,350
• 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 $35,400, charged as five semesters of $7,080 each (tuition only; technology and application fees are billed separately).

This A.O.S. degree combines hands-on welding training with coursework in communications, computer applications, and leadership. Graduates pursue roles such as:

• Structural Welder
• Pipe Welder
• Combination Welder
• Shipyard Welder
• Fabrication Welder
• Welding Lead / Shop Supervisor (with experience)

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.

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 weld pipe in multiple positions, while building the communication and leadership skills that support advancement.

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.