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Welding in North Carolina
These pages summarize rules to help you plan. They are not legal advice. Before you place students at a work site or change a program, check with your state agency, your district's counsel and your insurance carrier.
In short
North Carolina welding students earn articulated college credit for WLD courses, but state law bars minors from welding on the job without an apprenticeship, student-learner or NCDOL agreement.
State program: WELD pathway, Construction cluster: IM61, IM62, IM63
What a high school can deliver
State post-assessments, welding credentials and articulated college credit; job-site welding by a minor needs an approved arrangement.
Credentials students can earn
State post-assessment per course; welding credentials by course in the CMS ()
Age and hour requirements
13 NCAC 12 .0406 bars under-18 welding, brazing and torch cutting unless exempt. No state welder license found. Sandhills CC WCE NCCER Welding Level 1: 16 on the first day, 321 hours (2023-24 catalog).
Other agencies involved
None for the program. NCDOL approves Supervised Practice agreements for state-barred tasks (about 60 days).
Who can teach it
Initial Professional License, CTE Restricted route, 74080 Welding (no provisional): 2 years with bachelor's, 4 with associate, 6 with diploma; pass AWS SMAW, FCAW-G and GMAW-S tests, or hold CWE, CWI or SCWI, before the initial license expires.
Child labor rules for work placements
Youth employment certificate for every minor. 13 NCAC 12 .0406 bars welding, brazing, torch cutting and 10-foot falls unless registered apprentice, FLSA student-learner, or NCDOL-approved Supervised Practice agreement (G.S. 95-25.5(k1), 16-17, paid). HO 7 barred.
College credit after high school
HS-to-CC Articulation Agreement: IM61 to WLD-110; IM61 + IM62 to WLD-110 and WLD-115; IM63 to WLD-121 or WLD-123 (B, 93, 2 years: Confirm with the agency); CCP welding.
Where to go next
- The full Welding guide, showing North Carolina
- The North Carolina state profile
- Add this pathway to your plan
Welding in other states
Other pathways in North Carolina
- Nurse Aide / Patient Care
- EMT
- Electrical
- Construction and Carpentry
- HVAC/R
- Cybersecurity / Networking
- Programming / Computer Science
- Automotive
- Medical and Dental Assisting
- Cosmetology
- Agriculture
- Early Childhood Education
- Culinary and Hospitality
- Machining and Mechatronics
- Engineering and Drafting
- Firefighting
- Law, Public Safety and Corrections
- Business Management and Marketing
- Entrepreneurship
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