Industrial Pipefitting

An Industrial Pipefitting students gets help from an instructor at the RMTC.High-pressure and low-pressure piping systems are used in the generation of electricity and in the heating and cooling of buildings. Many piping systems are regulated by automatic controls which are accessed remotely. The Industrial Pipefitting Program at Kellogg Community College prepares students to install, maintain and repair such systems.

KCC offers the following Industrial Pipefitting Program credentials:

  • Industrial Trades certificate in Pipefitting (25 credits)
  • Associate in Applied Science: Industrial Pipefitting (60 credits)

For more information about KCC’s Industrial Pipefitting Program, see:

Course Sequences

Unlike traditional academic courses, the offerings in this program consist of short modules that are components of larger units. Modules are often less than 1 credit apiece and can be completed at a student’s own pace in a matter of hours or days. Units range from one to 30 modules, depending on the area of instruction.

Industrial Pipefitting modules carry the course designator INPF as detailed in the most recent Industrial Pipefitting Fall 2020 Cost Sheet. Units in this program include:

Unit Title Credits
Unit 5 Safety 1
Unit 10 Pipefitting Science .25
Unit 15 Blueprint Reading .91
Unit 20 Introduction to Pipefitting 2.5
Unit 25 Mathematics for Pipefitting 2.63
Unit 30 Pipefitting 3.66
Unit 35 Plumbing 2.77
Unit 40 Fire Protection 1.13
Unit 45 Thermodynamics of Heat .72
Unit 50 Expansion .08
Unit 55 Pumps .84
Unit 60 Flow Control 3.17
Unit 65 Compressed Air .38
Unit 70 Steam 2.05
Unit 75 Boilers 3.33
Unit 80 Piping Maintenance .50

Transfer Opportunities

Click here to view Transfer Guides outlining opportunities for students looking to transfer their KCC credits to a four-year institution. Popular transfer destinations for KCC’s Industrial Pipefitting students include Siena Heights University and Western Michigan University.

For additional advice on transfer opportunities, contact:

Industrial Pipefitting Careers

Pipefitters can find rewarding, long-term employment with companies and private contractors in a variety of settings, including schools, hospitals and manufacturing facilities. Pipefitters also work for utility companies, agricultural operations and municipalities.

Possible job titles for graduates with an education in industrial pipefitting include:

  • Brazers
  • Cutters
  • Mechanical engineering technicians
  • Pipefitters
  • Plumbers
  • Solderers
  • Steamfitters
  • Welders

With additional education after the program, opportunities include:

  • Business/shop owner
  • Maintenance supervisor
  • Mechanical drafter
  • Mechanical engineer

Projected Job Outlook & Salary Info

For the latest employment and wage estimates for industrial pipefitting careers in Michigan, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics website at www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_mi.htm.

Why Study Industrial Pipefitting at KCC?

RMTC Equipment & Facilities

Across Michigan, there are few facilities like the Regional Manufacturing Technology Center, which KCC started in 1990 as a way to serve the workforce needs of the industries that are active and growing in south central Michigan. Thanks to an ongoing commitment from the College, private employers and local, state and federal agencies, the RMTC is a premier provider of industrial and skilled-trades education with highly experienced instructors and top-notch equipment. Machinery used for training at the RMTC is similar or identical to the equipment that students will use in the workplace.

Self-Paced Learning

Because of the self-paced instructional model at the RMTC, students can move at their own pace through the modules and units. As their work and life schedules allow, they can spend as many or as few hours each week learning alongside our instructors, who are available in labs day and night.

Click here for the RMTC Summer 2020 Lab Schedule.

Prior-Learning Credits

Students who hold a journeyman or U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) apprenticeship certificate are eligible to receive prior learning credits that can be applied toward a KCC certificate or degree.

Tour the RMTC

Prospective students have an open invitation to visit the RMTC to take a tour of the facility, meet instructors and learn more about individual programs.