Industrial Arts Institute

What Industrial Arts Institute does

Industrial Arts Institute (IAI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit welding and metal fabrication training institution headquartered in Onaway, Michigan, founded in 2014 by Tom Moran as a division of Moran Iron Works. It operates a 47,408 sq ft single-story training complex housing 36 welding stations equipped with Lincoln Electric, Miller Electric, and ESAB power sources covering SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, FCAW, and submerged arc processes, supplemented by robotic welding systems, a Lincoln Electric VRTEX 360 virtual reality arc welding simulator, and a newly added Messer CNC plasma cutting table. IAI is licensed by the State of Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, holds AWS accredited facility status, serves as an MDOT Authorized Welder Certification Testing Agency since 2020, and is a Veteran Approved Training Facility for GI Bill students.

Name

Industrial Arts Institute

Legal name

Industrial Arts Institute

Website

https://iaiworks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Industrial Arts Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit welding and metal fabrication trade school in Onaway, Michigan that runs a 19-week comprehensive welding program, MDOT certification testing, and dual-enrollment CNC machining for career seekers, veterans, and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Welding and Metal Fabrication Training

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Structural Steel Welding & Erection-Focused Training (EDAOADAC), Pipe Welding & Industrial Piping Fabrication Training (EDAOADAB), Welding Codes, Safety & Compliance Training (AWS/ASME/OSHA) (EDAOADAG), Robotic Welding & Welding Automation Programming Training (EDAOADAI), Metal Cutting, Fit-Up & Layout (Oxy-Fuel/Plasma/Saw) Training (EDAOADAE)

Keywords

• Welding training programs
• Metal fabrication education
• Welder certification testing
• Vocational trades school
• Corporate welding training

Headquarters

HQ city

Onaway

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Student Tuition - Comprehensive Industrial Welding Program: Revenue from tuition fees for the 19-week Comprehensive Industrial Welding and Fabrication Program. The school does not accept federal student aid but offers private lending programs and scholarships.
2. MDOT Welder Certification Testing: Official MDOT Authorized Welding Testing Agency since 2020, conducting AWS D1.1 welder testing for welders, contractors, and construction firms seeking MDOT infrastructure project certifications.
3. Corporate Training Services: Customized welding training programs for employers including MIG, TIG, flux cored, and stick welding training at their AWS accredited facility. Can be scheduled to accommodate employer operations.
4. High School Training Programs: Dual enrollment and high school welding programs including Welding & Fabrication Levels I and II, and CNC Machining (NCMC).
5. Art & Design Enrichment Workshops: Small, hobby-focused creative workshops such as Raku pottery experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Industrial Arts Institute delivers a 19-week Comprehensive Industrial Welding & Fabrication Program that prepares individuals for welding careers through an employer-based educational model, providing AWS certifications across SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, FCAW, and submerged arc processes. The institute supplements this core program with corporate training for manufacturing employers, MDOT welder certification testing, high school dual-enrollment welding/CNC machining tracks, summer youth academies, and art/design enrichment workshops.

Product overview

Industrial Arts Institute offers a portfolio of vocational welding and metal fabrication training programs centered around its 19-week Comprehensive Industrial Welding & Fabrication Program as the core offering. The institute provides a progression of educational pathways including Basic Welding and Ornamental Welding for beginners, Corporate Training Services for employer upskilling, and specialized certification testing through its MDOT Authorized Welder Certification Testing Agency. Supplementary programs include NCMC Dual Enrollment CNC Machining, High School Welding & Fabrication (Levels I and II), Summer Youth Welding Programs with beginner to advanced camps, and Art & Design Workshops. Financial support products include the Noble Path Student Lending Program, multiple exclusive scholarships (Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, Woods Charitable Trust, Baiardi Family Foundation, Maritime Innovative Initiative, Housing Assistance), and educational partnerships with North Central Michigan College and Baker College for degree pathway completion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Comprehensive Industrial Welding & Fabrication Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% industry placement rate for graduates
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Michigan Forest Association - Neighbor NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2026Partnership to fabricate 12 dibble bars for reforestation tool libraries across three counties. Student Nick Kurtz completed fabrication as part of fabrication module, providing real-world community application for skills.
• Onaway Edna Lound Recreational ParkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 October 2025Collaborative community project bringing together Welding & Fabrication Academy, CNC Machining Academy, and Building & Construction Trades Union Academy students to build addition for the park.
• Michigan Department of Natural ResourcesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2023Partnership for student projects including footbridge at Harrisville State Park connecting day-use area with campground, and 38 trail gates for state trails.
• Michigan Department of Natural ResourcesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2021Trail gate project for North Central, North Eastern, and North Western state trails. Students completed 38 gates before June 4 graduation as educational agreement partnership.
• Carmeuse Americas Calcite OperationsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2021Corporate training client for welding teams. IAI provided SMAW training for 6 employees and GMAW/FCAW training for another 6 employees over two weeks. Training conducted on-site at IAI in Onaway, Michigan.
• Baker CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 September 2016Articulation agreement allowing IAI Comprehensive Welding Program graduates to apply 44 credits toward Baker's Associate of Applied Science in Welding (98 credits total). Students can complete the degree in one year by taking general education courses online or at the Cadillac Campus.
• North Central Michigan College (NCMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual/concurrent enrollment partnership offering CNC Machining Certificate of Development (20 credit hours, Program Code: 106) through COPESD. Lead Instructor: Jeff Montgomery, Interim Director: Gerald Brusher, PhD.
• Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Educational Service District (COPESD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for NCMC Dual Enrollment CNC Machining program and High School Work-Based Learning Summer Trades Academies including Welding & Fabrication Academy, CNC Machining Academy, and Building & Construction Trades Union Academy.
• Moran Iron Works (MIW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded IAI and continues close relationship. MIW founder Tom Moran has instructed classes and provided design/admin support. IAI was originally a division of MIW. Located at Industrial Arts Complex, a MIW property.
• Purity Cylinder GasesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner with Randy Norris, Corporate Sales Manager and IAI Board Member, serving as keynote speaker for December 2025 graduation.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• WyoTech: Specialized for-profit trades school (now part of UNOH) offering welding, automotive and industrial programs. Comparable as a smaller, specialized skilled-trades training operator in the same career-changer segment IAI serves.

Regional players

• North Central Michigan College: Michigan community college and IAI dual-enrollment partner offering the CNC Machining Certificate and serving overlapping Northern Michigan students. Comparable as a regional post-secondary institution that co-delivers IAI programs and competes for the same welding/manufacturing career seekers.
• Ferris State University: Michigan public university offering welding engineering technology and manufacturing programs. Comparable as a Michigan-based regional player delivering welding credentials and industry placements in overlapping employer markets.
• Pennsylvania College of Technology: Public Pennsylvania college with robust welding and metal fabrication degree and certificate programs serving career seekers and incumbent workers. Comparable to IAI as a regional trades-education institution with AWS-aligned curriculum and employer connections.
• Baker College: Michigan-based private college and IAI articulation partner whose AAS in Welding degree pathway IAI graduates can complete. Comparable as a regional post-secondary institution sharing the same employer base and student pipeline in Michigan.

Direct peers

• Tulsa Welding School: For-profit welding school with campuses in Tulsa, Jacksonville and Houston offering intensive welding and fabrication diploma programs. Closely comparable to IAI's 19-week, employer-aligned, certification-driven model, with broader geographic reach.
• Hobart Institute of Welding Technology: Private, non-degree welding trade school in Troy, Ohio offering technical welding programs with AWS testing. Directly comparable to IAI as a specialized welding-focused training institution serving similar career-seeker and employer-customers.

Broad incumbents

• Lincoln Educational Services: Multi-campus for-profit operator of Lincoln Tech institutes offering welding, automotive, healthcare and skilled trades programs. Comparable as a larger incumbent in the same skilled-trades education space, with substantially broader curriculum and footprint than IAI.
• Universal Technical Institute: Large public for-profit provider of skilled trades education across automotive, diesel, welding and industrial programs at multiple U.S. campuses. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the same skilled-trades training category where IAI competes for the same career-changer student.

Others

• American Welding Society: National standards body governing AWS D1.1 and welder qualification testing. Comparable as the certifying authority whose standards underpin IAI's curriculum, MDOT testing agency authorization, and corporate-training credibility.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iaiworks
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQexMyBETyyNqCHAu9beukw
• Facebookfacebook.com/iaiworks
• Instagraminstagram.com/iaiworks
• TikToktiktok.com/@iaiworks

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

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 Industrial Arts Institute