Attendance Policy

Purpose:
The Attendance Policy ensures that students participate fully in the 12‑week, 480‑hour Welding Foundations & Industrial Safety program. Welding is a hands‑on, competency‑based trade, and consistent attendance is essential for safety, skill development, and successful completion. This policy protects students, instructors, and the integrity of the program.

Attendance Expectations

  • Students are expected to attend all scheduled training hours. Welding skills cannot be learned remotely or made up through written assignments; students must be physically present to participate in demonstrations, safety briefings, and supervised shop practice.
  • Attendance is a condition of enrollment and a requirement for graduation.

Daily Check‑In

  • Students must arrive on time, prepared, and in required PPE.
  • The training day begins with a mandatory safety briefing.
  • Students who miss the safety briefing may be required to wait until the instructor determines it is safe to enter the shop.
  • Safety briefings contain critical hazard information; missing them compromises safety.

Reporting Absences

Tardiness

If a student must miss class:

  • The student must notify the instructor before the start of the training day.
  • Notification may be made by phone, text, or email.
  • Failure to notify the school may result in the absence being marked unexcused.

Unreported absences undermine safety and disrupt instruction.

Students are expected to arrive on time each day.

  • Students arriving late may be required to wait until the instructor determines it is safe to join the shop.
  • Chronic tardiness disrupts instruction and may result in disciplinary action, including dismissal.
  • Excessive tardiness may be counted as absence.

Early Departures

Make-Up Time

Leaving class early without prior approval is treated as an absence for the missed portion of the day. Students must inform the instructor before departing.

Make‑up time is not guaranteed and may only be approved when:

  • It can be completed safely
  • An instructor is available to supervise
  • It does not interfere with scheduled training
  • The student has not exceeded allowable absences

Students are responsible for arranging any approved make‑up hours.

Excessive Absences

Safety‑Related Attendance Rules

Because welding is a hands‑on, competency‑based program, excessive absences prevent students from meeting required skills and safety standards.
A student may be dismissed if:

  • They miss more than 20% of scheduled hours, or
  • They demonstrate a pattern of absences or tardiness that interferes with learning or safety

This threshold aligns with state expectations and protects program integrity.

Students may be sent home for the day if they:

  • Arrive without required PPE
  • Are unable to safely participate in shop activities
  • Exhibit unsafe or disruptive behavior
  • Are under the influence of drugs or alcohol

Time missed due to safety violations counts as an absence.

Required Appointments

Attendance and Graduation

Students with required appointments (medical, legal, DOC‑related, Tribal, or agency‑related) must provide advance notice. Documentation may be requested to verify the appointment.
This ensures fairness and prevents misuse of excused absences.

To graduate, students must:

  • Complete required program hours
  • Meet all welding competencies
  • Complete OSHA‑10 General Industry
  • Maintain safe and professional conduct

Students who do not meet attendance requirements cannot graduate.

Instructor Authority

The instructor has full authority to:

  • Mark attendance
  • Approve or deny make‑up time
  • Remove a student from the shop for safety reasons
  • Recommend dismissal for attendance‑related violations

This ensures a safe, controlled training environment.