Ready to spark a stronger future?

The manufacturing industry depends on skilled welders who build, repair, and strengthen the equipment and structures that keep production moving. Arkansas State University–Newport’s Welding Program opens the door to high-demand careers where precision, safety, and craftsmanship matter every day. In just a few months, you’ll gain the technical knowledge, hands-on lab experience, and industry-recognized credentials that employers across Arkansas are actively seeking.

Whether you’re entering the workforce for the first time or looking for a new direction, this training provides a competitive edge, practical experience, and a direct pathway to employment. It’s your opportunity to build a career with stability, strong wages, and long-term growth potential.

Class Times:

Monday to Thursday - 8:30 - 11:30

Students will be required to complete 4 hours per week of online content.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES

Students will be equipped with the foundational employability skills—such as work ethic, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving—needed to obtain and succeed in entry-level employment or advance in education and training.

Students will develop the knowledge and skills required to maintain a safe manufacturing workplace, identify hazards, follow regulatory safety procedures, and promote safe equipment operation and safety culture.

Students will develop the competencies in quality systems, measurement, inspection, data analysis, and continuous improvement to ensure products meet manufacturing specifications.

Students will gain the techncial skills to be competetive for hire as an entry level production worker or entry levle MIG welder. Upon completion, students should be able to perform fillet welds on carbon steel with prescribed electrodes in the flat and horizontal positions.

PROGRAM COURSES

Job Readiness

• Workplace Essentials
• Durable skills

 Workplace Safety

• Generial Industry OSHA 10 Card
• ASUN Certificate
• Manufacturing Skills Standards Counsel Certficate
• Credly Badge

Quality Practices & Measurement 

• Credly Badge
• ASUN Precision Measurement Certificate
• Manufacturing Skills Standards Counsel Certficate

Production Welding 

• Hands-On Experience
• 48 hours: hands-on welding training
• ASUN Certificate
• Opportunity to Earn AWS Flat Weld Certification
  

Students must be 17 at the start of the program and attend orientation.

This course covers naming a range, specialprinting titles of rows & columns, paste between work-sheets, pasting values and links, viewing and workingwith multiple work-sheets, 3D formulas,  protecting a workbook \ worksheet, & cells, checking for duplicates, Excel as a database, autofilters, slicers,and creating a graph with two axis.

Excel Level 2 is a continuation of Level 1, participants should have those skills before taking Excel Level 2. Course objectives are how to work with multiple files and worksheets, naming a range and benefits, sorting and filtering data using Excel as a database, tables and their benefits, data validation, sub-totals, Pivot Tables, conditional formatting, graphs with two axis and sparklines.

Ready for a career with growth opportunities?

Whether you’re entering the workforce, feeling stuck in your current job, or looking for a higher-paying path, the CNC Operater program can give you the skill to pay the bills.    

High-demand,opportunities:

Northeast Arkansas has hundreds of CNC operator jobs with average wages over $48,000 per year with many earning much more with premium pay.  Earning the CNC Lather Operator credential gives you a strong advantage in landing these role as well as other machine operator roles. Area employers who recruit for these positions are Hytrol, ABB, Best Manufacturing and Martin Sprocket & Gear to name a few. 

Fast, flexible, industry-driven training:

This program was built with input from local manufacturers. It prepares you for an entry level operator position within a modern advanced manufacturing facility using both virtual training and hands-on CNC labs.

• Finish in 8 weeks
• Gain hands on CNC Operator training 
• Gain a high demand skill

What you’ll learn: CNC Operator training is organized into four targeted modules that build essential production skills:

Safety (23 hours online, 6 hours lab)

• Work online at your schedule
• Schedule lab times with the instructor
• Earn ASUN Certificate upon completion

Quality Practices (17 hours online, 5 hours lab)

• Work online at your schedule
• Schedule lab times with the instructor
• ASUN Certificate upon completion

CNC Lathe Operation (45 hours lab)

• Operate CNC controlled turning centers,
• Explore CNC lathe setup, and
• Introduction to Haas Lathe intuitive programming system. 
• Earn ASUN Certificate upon completion

CNC Lab will run October 12 - December 11, Tuesdays and Thursday 8:00-11:00. 

 Cost will be covered by a HAAS Foundaton Scholarship. You will need to complete an application. 

$1600

To register - Email: bethany_denny@asun.edu
Invoices will be sent out after the first day of class

Course Description:

This 4 day training program will provide the student with the knowledge and skills to identify, install, configure and troubleshoot a closed loop motion control system in the Studio5000 architecture. In addition, students will learn specific programming instructions used for motion control in Studio5000 ladder logic programs. Students will also learn how to interface Studio5000 systems with the Kinetix 5500 Servo Drives, as well as an overview of the Kinetix 5700 Servo Drives. " Overview of Motion Control Concepts " Hardware Description & Wiring Connections of Kinetix 5500/5700 Servo Drives " Adding Drives and Configuring Axes for Integrated Motion on an CIP EtherNet/IP Network " Tuning and Testing an Axis " Motion Instructions Control Structures " Basic Motion Instructions (MSO, MSF, MASD, MASR, MAFR, MAH, MAS, MAJ, MRP, MAG) " Advanced (Camming) Motion Instructions (MCD, MCCP, MAPC) " System Troubleshooting Prequisite: Students should have attended the AMTI Level 1 PLC course (or equivalent experience). It is strongly recommended that the student has also attended the AMTI VFD course (or equivalent experience).

Ken Walsh started his career as an Electrical Engineer developing automated sawmill equipment. He worked for Rockwell Automation for just under 20 years as a field support engineer where he saw applications everywhere imaginable. Ken is also a proud Vietnam era veteran.

• Experience in Automation Systems, software, System Design, Pneumatics, Electric Motor Drives, Panel Design, logic controllers, HMI project management, startup, troubleshooting and repair with disciplines applied across a multitude of industries.
• Broad knowledge of general automation, networks, motion control, drive systems and process control that spans across multiple control vendors.
• Experience with networks and communications includes: Controlnet, Devicenet, Ethernet, Modbus.

$1600

To register - Email: bethany_denny@asun.edu
 
Invoices will be sent out after the first day of class

Course Description:

Learn basic programming, maintenance and trouble-shooting PLC based industrial controls using PLC trainers with Allen Bradley/ Rockwell Automation Control-Logix hardware and Allen Bradley/Rockwell Automation RSLogix 5000 and RSLinx software. This will allow you to benefit from vendor training on specific equipment. The central processing unit is an L36 ERM. The basic operating principles of all PLCs, their inputs and outputs (discrete and analog), programming, maintenance, and networking will be covered. Hands on approach to Factory Talk View is also included.

Ken Walsh

Ken Walsh started his career as an Electrical Engineer developing automated sawmill equipment. Ken worked for Rockwell Automation for Nearly 20 years as a field support engineer.