MOHAVE COUNTY – The Mohave College Weld Testing Facility has once again proven its excellence, earning the highest possible result in the most recent American Welding Society (AWS) Accreditation Audit.
The College is home to the first AWS Accredited Test Facility (ATF) in the state of Arizona and has built a strong legacy of excellence in welding education. The recent AWS audit, conducted at the College’s new Advanced Manufacturing Training Center (AMTC) in Kingman this Fall semester, confirmed that the Test Facility continues to meet national standards for high quality, safety and technical precision.
Dean of Career and Technical Education Jason Gee oversees the Welding program and Test Facility, and praised the team’s accomplishment and the value it brings to regional workforce development.
“With our transition of the Accredited Testing Facility from the Kingman Campus to the Advanced Manufacturing Training Center, I am pleased that Director Jim Hill and his team were able to re-affirm that our ATF continues to meet American Welding Society standards,” said Gee. “Our ability to provide high-quality training and testing in welding for Mohave County and the surrounding areas is essential in verifying the quality of welding-based industries, the individual welders, and our welding student graduates’ skills in the practice of welding.”
Since the College operates the Test Facility, students in the Welding program receive both training and AWS qualification testing as a standard part of their coursework. This not only verifies the quality of their skills, but also saves them approximately $500 for each AWS skills qualification test.
The Test Facility not only provides comprehensive testing, training and certification for students, but also professionals and local employers. Testing and training are available at multiple College locations in Bullhead City, Kingman, and Lake Havasu City, and the College also operates a Mobile Welding Lab that delivers on-site training, testing and demonstrations directly to employers, high schools and community partners.
This flexibility helps the College meet the needs of local industry partners, while also expanding access to individuals seeking to upgrade their welding credentials or pursue a new career. The facility serves not only professional welders but also hobbyists, artists, and community members interested in developing welding skills for personal or creative projects.
Director of Weld Testing Jim Hill emphasized the importance of the audit and what it means for both the College and communities throughout the region.
“The audit verifies that we continue to meet all standards and quality requirements for accredited testing sites,” said Hill. “Maintaining this status allows the College to test, qualify and certify welders under nationally recognized standards. It shows our students, employers and industry partners that our programs meet the highest levels of safety, quality and integrity, while also helping local industry reduce costs through in-house testing and certification.”
The AMTC, which opened this fall semester, serves as a regional hub for advanced technical education in many areas, such as welding, robotics, HVAC/R, industrial maintenance and computer-aided design (CAD).
This successful audit reaffirms the College’s reputation for technical excellence, community partnership, and workforce innovation, helping students and professionals gain nationally recognized credentials and the skills needed to strengthen the region’s manufacturing and construction sectors.
For more information visit Mohave.edu/Weld-Testing.
