Hobart Institute of Welding Technology

What Hobart Institute of Welding Technology does

Hobart Institute of Welding Technology (HIWT) is a privately operated, single-focus vocational welding school headquartered at 400 Trade Square E, Troy, Ohio, USA. Founded in 1935, the institute has trained over 100,000 graduates across 90+ years of continuous operation, offering 26-week and 40-week welding school programs built around an 80%+ hands-on methodology. It also delivers a two-week AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) preparation course at its Troy campus and at locations nationwide, supplemented by employment assistance and a dedicated industry job posting board. The institution is privately held with 51-100 employees, no disclosed parent company, and no parent or venture funding; it does not file public financials.

HIWT's product portfolio spans three interlocking layers. First, in-person vocational training: 26-week and 40-week programs covering SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, FCAW, and oxyacetylene welding processes. Second, certification and custom training: the two-week AWS CWI preparation course, plus bespoke training and certification services delivered at Troy or on-site for manufacturing, construction, pipeline, and other industrial employers. Third, a publishing/content business sold through an e-commerce bookstore, including a streaming video platform with SCORM-compliant LMS integration (Core Training Bundle at $1,495; Custom Bundles at $1,195 each), DVD programs, instructor guides, test packets, books, posters, and assessment materials — with billing on annual subscriptions and per-unit pricing.

The go-to-market model is hybrid: direct enrollment at the Troy campus for individual students, sales of bundled curriculum and SCORM packages to educational institutions and enterprises through the website bookstore (domestic and international shipping), and custom professional services engagement for industry clients. Marketing relies on email newsletter sign-up via SurveyMonkey, virtual and on-campus tours, content marketing through the website, and a job posting board that doubles as an alumni/community channel. Pricing includes financial aid (scholarships, federal grants and loans, alternative loans) for qualifying 26/40-week students, and the institute publishes a Net Price Calculator based on 2020-2021 academic year data. Sole proprietary technology differentiation is content and pedagogy: a 165+ topic video library, standardized lesson plans, quiz banks, and SCORM interoperability, rather than any platform-layer defensibility.

Name

Hobart Institute of Welding Technology

Legal name

Hobart Institute of Welding Technology

Website

https://welding.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hobart Institute of Welding Technology is a privately operated, single-focus vocational welding school in Troy, Ohio, founded in 1935. It delivers 26-week and 40-week hands-on welding programs, two-week AWS CWI certification preparation, and streaming/SCORM curriculum to students, schools, and industrial employers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Welding Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

akta.pro primary industry

Arc Welding (SMAW/GMAW/FCAW/GTAW) Training (EDAOADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Welding Inspection, QA/QC & NDT Prep Training (e.g., CWI) (EDAOADAF), Welding Codes, Safety & Compliance Training (AWS/ASME/OSHA) (EDAOADAG)

Keywords

• Welding education
• Vocational welding training
• CWI certification prep
• Welding curriculum programs
• Industrial skills training

Headquarters

HQ city

Troy

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Vocational Training Programs: Tuition-based revenue from 26-week and 40-week comprehensive welding school programs. Students receive hands-on training across multiple welding processes with the goal of employment upon completion.
2. CWI Certification Training: Two-week AWS Certified Welding Inspector preparation courses delivered at Troy campus and nationwide locations. Revenue from certification exam preparation services.
3. Training Materials Sales: Sale of DVD programs, streaming video subscriptions, instructor guides, student workbooks, and test banks. Core Training Bundle at $1,495, custom bundles at $1,195 each. Individual access keys for streaming available.
4. Books and Publications: Sale of welding textbooks, programmed learning packets, technical guides, and reference materials for students and industry professionals.
5. Educational Posters and Aids: Sale of welding-related wall posters in multiple sizes for classroom and shop use. Individual posters $7-$18, complete sets available.
6. Custom Training & Certification: Bespoke training programs designed for specific industry clients and organizational needs, delivered at Troy campus or on-site.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hobart Institute of Welding Technology is a private vocational welding school in Troy, Ohio delivering 26-week and 40-week hands-on welding programs, two-week AWS CWI certification preparation courses, and custom corporate training. The institute also sells a portfolio of streaming video training subscriptions, DVD programs, instructor guides, and test banks through its website bookstore for educational institutions and industry buyers. Curricula span SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, FCAW, oxyacetylene welding, blueprint reading, and welding symbols.

Product overview

Hobart Institute of Welding Technology is a vocational training institution offering welding education through a portfolio of streaming video training programs, DVD courses, books, and instructor materials. The core product offerings include four main training bundle subscriptions: the Core Training Bundle (covering 7 comprehensive courses), and three specialized custom bundles for Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, Shielded Metal Arc Welding, and Gas Metal Arc Welding/Flux Cored Arc Welding. Individual training programs cover specific welding processes including SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, oxyacetylene welding, blueprint reading, and welding symbols. Supporting products include instructor guides, written tests, and color posters. The institute also offers AWS CWI certification preparation courses and full vocational programs lasting 26 or 40 weeks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Welding Programs (26-week and 40-week) Vocational welding training programs available in 26-week and 40-week formats at the Troy, Ohio campus, covering multiple welding processes with 80%+ hands-on training. Includes scholarships, federal grants, loans, and employment assistance for qualifying students.
• AWS CWI Certification Training A two-week intensive preparation course designed to strengthen knowledge and boost exam readiness for the American Welding Society Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) examination, led by expert in-house instructors at the Troy campus and at nationwide locations.
• Custom Training and Certification Bespoke training and certification programs designed to meet specific industry client requirements, delivered either at the Troy, Ohio campus or at client locations on-site.
• Core Training Bundle Streaming Subscription A complete teaching package for welding educators, including streaming access to 7 HIWT courses plus instructor guides, lesson plans, PDF quiz banks, answer keys, student workbook, and technical guide. Priced at $1,495 with an annual streaming subscription renewal option.
• Gas Tungsten Arc Welding Custom Bundle Streaming Subscription A focused GTAW training bundle providing streaming video access to 4 HIWT courses covering welding symbols, blueprint reading, oxyacetylene processes, and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, including instructor guides, quiz banks, and student materials. Priced at $1,195.
• Shielded Metal Arc Welding Custom Bundle Streaming Subscription A custom training bundle providing focused instruction for Shielded Metal Arc Welding, including 38 SMAW Basic topics, streaming video access, instructor guides, quiz banks, and student materials. Priced at $1,195.
• Gas Metal Arc Welding/Flux Cored Arc Welding Custom Bundle Streaming Subscription A combined training bundle covering both GMAW and FCAW processes, with streaming access to 5 HIWT courses including Symbols for Welding, Blueprint Reading, Oxyacetylene Welding, Gas Metal Arc Welding Basic, and Flux Cored Arc Welding Basic, plus instructor guides and student materials. Priced at $1,195.
• Shielded Metal Arc Welding Basic (DVD/Streaming) A DVD or streaming video training program covering Shielded Metal Arc Welding basics across 38 topics, including electrode selection, weld positions, and AWS qualification tests.
• Gas Metal Arc Welding Basic (DVD/Streaming) A DVD or streaming video training program covering Gas Metal Arc Welding fundamentals, including installation, setup, maintenance, metal transfer, shielding gases, and weld positions.
• Gas Tungsten Arc Welding Basic (DVD/Streaming) A comprehensive DVD or streaming training program based on AWS Entry-Level SENSE (QC10 and EG2.0), covering GTAW techniques for carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum across 33 topics.
• Oxyacetylene Welding, Brazing and Cutting (DVD/Streaming) A 30-topic DVD or streaming video training program covering oxyacetylene welding safety, equipment setup, weld positions, flame cutting, soldering, brazing, and braze welding techniques.
• Symbols for Welding (DVD/Streaming) A DVD or streaming video training program covering welding symbol communication, including fillet welds, groove welds, plug and slot welds, spot and stud welds, and supplementary symbols.
• Blueprint Reading for Welders and Fitters (DVD/Streaming) A DVD or streaming video training program covering 13 topics on blueprint reading for welders and fitters, including mathematics review, metrics, orthographic views, blueprint interpretation, and setup tools.
• Welding Wall Posters Color welding reference wall posters available in 11x17 inch and 35x23 inch formats for classroom and shop use, sold individually or as complete sets.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• NCCER (National Center for Construction Education & Research): Industry-recognized curriculum and credentialing body for construction trades including welding. Comparable as a competing standard-setter and curriculum provider whose credentials employers accept as alternatives to AWS CWI.
• Miller Electric (ITW) Welding Training Resources: Major welding equipment manufacturer that produces extensive welding training videos, curriculum, and instructor materials sold to schools. Comparable to HIWT's bookstore/streaming business line as a competing supplier of welding curriculum to institutions.
• American Welding Society (AWS): The certifying body for the AWS CWI examination that HIWT's flagship CWI prep course feeds into. Comparable as the ecosystem anchor whose standards and certifications define demand for HIWT's training products.
• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC): A national trade association that runs apprenticeship and craft training programs, including welding, often in partnership with member contractors. Comparable as a competing channel for workforce training that employers may select over private schools.

Broad incumbents

• Universal Technical Institute (UTI): A large, publicly traded multi-trade technical school with welding among its programs. Comparable as a competing destination for career-oriented students pursuing welding credentials, though it offers a broader set of trades.
• Lincoln Electric Welding Education: Lincoln Electric operates the Welding Technology and Training Center in Cleveland offering immersive welding programs, and sells curriculum/training content globally. Comparable to HIWT as both a vocational welding training provider and a supplier of welding curriculum to schools.

Regional players

• Fortis Institute: A multi-campus private trade school network with welding programs in several states. Comparable as a private vocational competitor for welding enrollment, primarily operating in regions outside HIWT's core Ohio/Midwest catchment.

Direct peers

• New England Institute of Technology (NEIT): A private technical college offering associate degree programs in welding and fabrication. Comparable as a credentialed private institution competing for the same career-oriented welding student demographic.
• Tulsa Welding School: A dedicated welding-focused trade school offering diploma and program-based welding training across multiple campuses. Directly comparable to HIWT as a single-focus welding institution serving career-oriented adult learners.
• Midwest Technical Institute: A regional multi-campus trade school offering welding, HVAC, and other skilled-trade programs. Comparable to HIWT as a competing vocational destination for welding students, though it offers a broader trade portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2408665

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hobart Institute of Welding Technology