Welding and fabrication
Stick, MIG and TIG on mild steel, stainless and aluminium. Students sit AWS D1.1 structural qualification tests on site before graduation.
Trade school — Cleveland, Ohio
Learn to weld, wire and cool a building by doing it from week one.
Ironthread Trade School runs hands-on certificate programmes in welding, HVAC and industrial electrical work out of a 28,000-square-foot shop on Cleveland's west side. Classes are sixty percent bench time, taught by journeymen who still hold their cards, and every programme ends with a paid placement from one of our forty employer partners.
Shop floor facts
- Of training shop
- 28k sq ft
- Employer partners hiring graduates
- 40
- Of graduates placed within 90 days
- 88%
- Median starting wage
- $21/hr
Three trades, one shop floor
HVAC and refrigeration
Diagnose and repair rooftop units, split systems and walk-in coolers. EPA 608 certification is built into the course.
Industrial electrical
Conduit bending, motor controls and reading one-line diagrams. Students wire a working control panel as their final exam.
Apprenticeship placement
Veteran tradespeople mentor you on the job. Employers interview on campus in the final month and many offer a starting rate above the regional median.
Programme chart
Compare length, hours and cost. Tuition includes tools, PPE and exam fees.
| Welding Fundamentals | 5 | 480 | AWS D1.1 plate test | 8,900 $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pipe Welding Advanced | 4 | 400 | ASME Section IX | 7,600 $ |
| HVAC Technician | 9 | 720 | EPA 608 Universal | 13,400 $ |
| Industrial Electrical | 12 | 960 | Ohio apprentice card | 15,800 $ |
| Refrigeration Add-on | 3 | 240 | R-410A handling | 4,300 $ |
From first tour to first paycheck
- 01
Tour and trial day
Spend a Saturday morning in the shop with a current student, strike an arc or crimp a line and decide whether it suits you.
- 02
Fund it
Our aid officer files grants, workforce vouchers and veteran benefits before you pay anything out of pocket.
- 03
Learn on the floor
Four days a week at the benches, one day in the classroom. Safety training comes first and is signed off by an instructor.
- 04
Interview with employers
In your last month we host a hiring day with contractors, fabrication shops and facility managers.
Graduates, on the job
“I spent six years in warehouse work. Eight months after starting here I was welding pressure vessels at a shop in Brook Park.”
“The trainers made us pass the refrigerant exam twice before they let us near a customer's unit. That habit saved me on my first service call.”
Before you enrol
Do I need experience?
None. You need a high-school diploma or equivalent, a willingness to work in steel-toe boots, and the ability to lift 40 pounds.
Can I work while I study?
Evening classes run Monday to Thursday from 17:30 to 21:30 for students with day jobs. They take about 50 percent longer.
What if I do not pass a certification test?
Each programme includes one free retake. Instructors review your weld or wiring and explain what to fix before you try again.
Book a shop tour
Tours run Tuesday and Saturday mornings and last about ninety minutes. Closed-toe shoes are required.