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Welding in Virginia
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
Virginia students take Welding I and II and can earn AWS SENSE, NCCER and process certifications; no welder license exists, and saw or shear work needs a DOLI-filed agreement.
State program: Welding I 8672 (140 hrs, grades 10-11), Welding II 8673 (280 hrs, 2 credits, grades 11-12); CIP not published by VDOE
What a high school can deliver
AWS SENSE, NCCER Welding and process certifications plus OSHA-10; Virginia has no welder license.
Credentials students can earn
AWS SENSE Level 1; NCCER Welding Level One; SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW process exams; OSHA-10 in Welding I (Board-approved list status: Confirm with the agency)
Age and hour requirements
No licensing age and no state welder license found. Registered apprentice at 16 with parent signature (Va. Code 2.2-2050).
Other agencies involved
None
Who can teach it
Trade and Industrial endorsement (license or industry certification plus 2 years in last 5) via Technical Professional License after a Provisional License, or the three-year CTE license; no instructor OSHA-10 rule found.
Child labor rules for work placements
No permit or hour limits at 16-17. No Virginia rule bars welding as such; Va. Code 40.1-100(A) bars power saws and guillotine shears under 18 without a work-training agreement filed with DOLI. Federal HO 8 and 14 need a student-learner agreement; HO 7 barred.
College credit after high school
No statewide agreement; VCCS Welding Career Studies Certificates and AAS by college (Confirm locally); CCRV Passport/UCGS is general education only.
Where to go next
Welding in other states
Other pathways in Virginia
- 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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