Technical standards outline the skills and expectations required for students to successfully enter, progress through, and complete the program. They ensure clarity and consistency for students, faculty, staff, administration, and disability services. These standards apply equally to all students.
If you require accommodations to fully participate in the program, please contact the Office of Disability Services to confidentially discuss your needs. Technical standards can be met with or without accommodations, and the examples provided are not all encompassing.
Technical Standard, Definition and Examples
Able to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. Able to recognize when there is problem or possible problem.
Examples:
- Critical thinking sufficient enough to use logic and reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Formulate fabrication plans and detect fabrication problems.
- Understand welding codes and qualifications and interpret blueprints and sketches.
- Calculate slopes, circumferences, and decimal equivalents; take accurate measurements and do conversions.
- Perform procedures according to proper specifications.
Possess physical strength and flexibility to safely perform welding techniques.
Examples:
- Physical abilities sufficient to perform welding skills in a hot (90+ degree) and cold environment.
- Ability to use hand tools such as grinders, oxy-act torch, and hammer.
- Weight bearing ability sufficient enough to lift and carry weight up to 50 pounds (i.e. lifting plates, parts, and fixtures).
Possess dexterity to be able to properly perform weldment in accordance with a stated welding code.
Examples:
- Dexterity to perform welds in all positions (flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead) at floor level and heights over six feet.
Able to use sensory cues to maintain standards of quality welding. Able to recognize when there is a problem or possible problem. Have awareness of surroundings through use of senses.
Examples:
- Able to tolerate extreme and constant noise.
- Able to discern machinery and arc noise for malfunctions and proper operation.
- Able to tolerate a work environment that produces noise from industrial machinery, grinding, and drilling.
Attentive in the classroom, observe demonstrations, and participate in lab classes. Have visual perception. Able to use sensory cues to maintain standards of quality welding. Able to recognize when there is a problem or possible problem. Have an awareness of surroundings through use of senses.
Examples:
- Visual skills sufficient to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer) with or without corrective lenses/glasses.
- Able to take precise measurements to 1/16th of an inch.
- Survey and select appropriate materials, tools, and equipment for welding work.
- Understand welding codes and qualifications and interpret blueprints and sketches.
- Distinguish shapes, forms, and patterns and visualize three-dimensional objects.
Communication skills sufficient to communicate in class and on welding floor using welding terms and safety practices pertaining to welding.
Examples:
- Understand/interpret information from textbook, handouts, diagrams, charts, and tables.
- Use written and oral communication to demonstrate comprehension of welding concepts.
- Recognize welding terminology and symbols.
- Able to interpret blueprints and sketches.
Ability to nurture mature, sensitive, and effective relationships. Ability to adapt to changing environments and work-related challenges. Establish rapport with instructors, classmates, stakeholders, clients and colleagues. Work cooperatively and with honesty and integrity with peers, faculty, and colleagues. Emotional health and maturity to enable meaningful interactions with classmates, instructors, and professional colleagues. Development of conflict resolution skills/ability to negotiate conflicting attitudes and opinions. Maintain hygiene and dress requirements for an office setting.
Examples:
- Able to work cooperatively with partners and groups.
- Interact with coworkers under physically and mentally demanding environmental conditions.
- Careful of detail and thoroughness in completing work tasks.
Possess the emotional well-being required for use of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of sound judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities in the classroom and for lab projects. Students will be expected to learn and apply workplace responsibilities.
Examples:
- Maintain composure, keep emotions in check, control anger, and avoid aggressive behaviors, even in difficult situations.
- Exercise good judgment.
- Follow safety procedures.
We are committed to ensuring all students have the support they need to succeed in this program. If you have a documented disability, reasonable accommodations will be provided unless they fundamentally alter essential training requirements, create undue hardship, or pose a safety risk to you or others.
Disability Services Statement
If you have a documented disability and need accommodations, please contact the Disability Services Office (Ward Hall Building; 252-638-1454) as soon as possible—ideally before classes or field experiences begin. You are also encouraged to inform your instructor as needed so we can best support your learning.