Washington Aerospace Training and Research Center

Tooling Mechanic Certificate

8 Weeks | 17.0 Credit Hours | 40% Online - 60% Lab

About the Certificate

In the Tooling Mechanic Certificate program, students will learn the skills they need to become toolmakers in the manufacturing industry. Students will utilize a wide variety of machines, tools, processes and skills to create jigs, fixtures, patterns, and other production supporting equipment.

Students should be able to demonstrate team building techniques, including how the importance of working in a manufacturing team environment affects overall production and quality.

Students interested in becoming a toolmaker enjoy critical thinking and are skilled with precision.

The skills learned in the Tooling Mechanic Certificate program can readily transfer to a variety of manufacturing fields including aerospace, maritime, construction, medical devices, space, automotive, and military/defense.

Topics Covered

  • Safety procedures
    • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
    • Hazardous waste handling, clean-up, and disposal
    • Tool and equipment safety
  • The safe use of hand, power, and floor mounted tools
  • Application of precision measuring tools
  • Acceptable tolerance applications and general dimensioning
  • Blueprint reading
  • Tooling drawing interpretations
  • Competency with deciphering and interpretation of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) symbols
  • Manufacturing and quality standards documentation
  • Production tooling layout
  • COVID 19 health and safety procedures

Prerequisites

  • Manufacturing Core Certificate must be completed to take this certificate.
  • Students must be over 18 years of age to participate in the lab portion of the course.
  • NO pre-testing is required, including the Accuplacer test.

Career Paths

Graduates of this program qualify for entry level positions as toolmakers. Toolmakers utilize a wide variety of machines, tools, processes and skills to create jigs, fixtures, patterns and other production supporting equipment. Toolmakers differ from production personnel in that many tooling projects require a very high degree of accuracy, designing custom tools/parts. Toolmakers work with machinists, welders and engineers to define, create and validate tooling.

Students completing the Tooling Certificate program receive rigorous training in theory and application for entry into the aerospace tooling industry. Many skills built in the Tooling program can readily transfer to other industries.

Sample of reported job titles:

  • Toolmaker
  • Carbide Tool Die Maker
  • Die Maker
  • Helpers-production workers
  • Jig and Fixture Builder
  • Jig and Fixture Repairer
  • Tool Repairer
  • Tool and Die Machinist
  • Tool and Die Maker
  • Trim Die Maker
  • Maintenance and repair workers, general

Register

If you have questions about registration, please call 425.640.1840.

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