AISC's online program to provide entry-level shop employees with the knowledge they need to succeed in the fabrication industry has earned international recognition. The Fabricator Education Training Program--and its development partner, Artisan Learning--was a Bronze winner in the 2025 International E-Learning Association (IELA) Awards under the "online learning experience" category. AISC worked with Artisan, an online learning course developer, to create the program and launched its first courses last summer.
The Fabricator Education Training Program aims to supplement in-person training and provide AISC member fabricators with an easy way to introduce basic concepts to new employees. It helps new hires quickly acquire the necessary skills to feel more involved and supported in their new position, whether it’s their first job in the fabrication industry or a move into a new role on the shop floor.
The program has three primary sections: fabricator fundamentals, layout and fit-up, and welding training. The first two have a combined 36 courses that total 15 hours of training. There are three welding training courses available, with more scheduled for release in late 2025.
"Our member fabricators have really appreciated the quality of the training and say it's not the boring stuff you might be used to seeing," said Joel Landsverk, AISC Fabricator Education Training Program manager. "Employees are engaged and learning new skills and techniques that improve their performance as fabricators."
The program is free for all AISC member fabricators. To see the full course list and sign up, visit aisc.org/fabricator-training. For a deeper look into how and why the program was created, read "Workforce Development Win" in the October 2024 issue of Modern Steel Construction.