Keysville, VirginiaPublic, 2-Year

Southside Virginia Community College Welding Program

2 certificates and one other award, $5,007 a year in tuition and fees, with training in stick (SMAW), MIG (GMAW), TIG (GTAW).

What Does Southside Virginia Community College Offer for Welding Students?

Southside Virginia Community College in Keysville, Virginia offers 2 certificates and one other award in welding through its Welding (Dual Enrollment COT Academy) / Welding Certificate program. Tuition and fees for 2024–25 were $5,007 for a full-time year (in-state). The school awarded 73 welding credentials in 2024–25. Best for a fast start in welding with a certificate.

2 Welding Certificates at Southside Virginia Community College

AwardTypeLength
Welding CertificateCertificate38 credits
Welding CSC (Career Studies Certificate)Certificate18 credits
Gas Metal Arc Welding (FastForward workforce course)Other80 hours of training

As listed on Southside Virginia Community College's welding program page, reviewed September 25, 2026.

Southside Virginia Community College Welding Tuition: $5,007 a Year

Tuition and fees
$5,007
in-state, 2024–25
Out of state
$11,445
2024–25
Books and supplies
$2,600
2024–25 estimate
Welding certificates awarded
73
2024–25
Graduation rate
42%
school-wide, Fall 2021 cohort
Students enrolled
3,306
school-wide, Fall 2024

Tuition and fees are for a full-time year. Awards count welding credentials conferred. Graduation rate and enrollment cover the whole school. Source: NCES College Navigator.

What you'll Learn in Southside Virginia Community College's Welding Program

Southside's welding credit courses are delivered mainly as a dual-enrollment academy for high school juniors and seniors at Keysville and South Hill, feeding an 18-credit CSC and a 38-credit Welding Certificate.

  • Stick (SMAW)
  • MIG (GMAW)
  • TIG (GTAW)
  • Flux-cored (FCAW)
  • Fabrication and blueprint reading

Class Schedule and Certification Testing at Southside Virginia Community College

Schedule. Dual enrollment classes Monday-Friday, 8:30am-11:00am at the John H. Daniel Campus (Keysville) and 8am-11am at the Lake Country Advanced Knowledge Center (South Hill). The workforce GMAW program is scheduled to resume in 2027.

Testing. Industry Certification(s): Welder Qualification Tests (Certifications) to American Welding Society Codes in all major welding processes (Stick, Mig, Tig, and Flux Core).

3 Campuses Teach Welding at Southside Virginia Community College

  • John H. Daniel Campus
  • Lake Country Advanced Knowledge Center
  • Southside Virginia Education Center (Workforce Development)1300 Greensville County Circle, Emporia, VA

Check start dates, admission steps and the current course list on Southside Virginia Community College's own site.

Visit southside.edu

What Welders Earn in Virginia

Across Virginia, the median welder wage is $59,180 a year, from $42,520 at the 10th percentile to $79,630 at the 90th, with 10,100 welders employed. The national median is $53,750. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

5 More Welding Schools Within 65 Miles of Keysville

Straight-line distance between campuses. All welding schools in Virginia

Southside Virginia Community College Welding FAQ

Does Southside Virginia Community College Have a Welding Program?

Yes. Southside Virginia Community College offers 2 certificates and one other award in welding at John H. Daniel Campus, Lake Country Advanced Knowledge Center, Southside Virginia Education Center (Workforce Development). Training covers stick (SMAW), MIG (GMAW), TIG (GTAW), flux-cored (FCAW), fabrication and blueprint reading.

How Much Does Welding School Cost at Southside Virginia Community College?

Southside Virginia Community College's 2024–25 tuition and fees were $5,007 for a full-time year (in-state) and $11,445 out of state, with books and supplies estimated at $2,600. Welding students also pay for tools, gear and lab fees.

How Long Is the Welding Program at Southside Virginia Community College?

Welding Certificate: 38 credits. Welding CSC (Career Studies Certificate): 18 credits. Gas Metal Arc Welding (FastForward workforce course): 80 hours of training.

Does Southside Virginia Community College Offer Night or Weekend Welding Classes?

Dual enrollment classes Monday-Friday, 8:30am-11:00am at the John H. Daniel Campus (Keysville) and 8am-11am at the Lake Country Advanced Knowledge Center (South Hill). The workforce GMAW program is scheduled to resume in 2027.

Can You Get Welding Certified at Southside Virginia Community College?

Industry Certification(s): Welder Qualification Tests (Certifications) to American Welding Society Codes in all major welding processes (Stick, Mig, Tig, and Flux Core).

How Much Do Welders Make in Virginia?

The median welder wage in Virginia is $59,180 a year, and the middle half earn between $49,020 and $65,400 (BLS, May 2025).

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How Much Do Welders Make in Virginia?

Virginia welders earned a $59,180 median in May 2025, $28.45 an hour. See pay in Hampton Roads, Richmond, Roanoke and more, plus related welding careers.

More on Welding in Virginia

Sources

  1. southside.edu: Welding (Dual Enrollment COT Academy) / Welding Certificate program page, reviewed September 25, 2026
  2. NCES College Navigator, IPEDS unit 233639
  3. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025