Field Readiness Preparation Building

What is the FRP Building?

At Missouri Welding Institute (MWI), we take pride in being the best hands-on welding school in the country. Now, we’re setting a new industry standard with our Field Readiness Preparation (FRP) Building—a state-of-the-art, real-world field welding training facility.

This multi-million dollar facility is designed to replicate the job sites students will work on after graduation, providing the most immersive, true-to-life welding training experience in the nation.

Size: Over 20,000 square feet of field welding space
Capacity: 80–90 welding stations, training up to 35 students at a time
Job-Site Simulation: Scaffolding, confined spaces, elevated pipe racks, and more

Unlike any other welding school, MWI’s FRP Building gives students real field experience—before they even graduate.

Why We Built the FRP Facility

The vision for the FRP Building has been years in the making.

At MWI, we understand that welding in a booth is not the same as welding in the field. In the real world, welders are working off scaffolding, in tight spaces, at extreme heights, or with limited visibility.

The concept for this facility began decades ago, as MWI’s leadership recognized the need for a training environment that truly prepares students for real-world welding conditions.

  • Industry-Driven Training: Built to mimic real industrial job sites like refineries, power plants, and chemical plants.
  • Expert-Led Design: Developed by our president, Clint Parker, and the MWI training team based on years of field experience.
  • A First-of-Its-Kind Facility: No other welding trade school in the country offers this level of real-world preparation.

Inside the FRP Building: Real Job-Site Welding Training

Simulated Job-Site Welding

  • Welding on scaffolding, scissor lifts, and confined spaces—just like on real job sites.
  • Boiler tubes, convection boxes, and elevated pipe racks to prepare for industrial work.
  • Limited-access welding techniques using mirrors, hard hat hood adapters, and real-world positioning.

Tiered Training Structure

  • Beginner Level: Floor-level welds for fundamental field training.
  • Intermediate Level: Welding in slightly restricted conditions, requiring strategic positioning.
  • Advanced Level: Extreme conditions, including mirror welding and overhead positions.

Final Four Weeks: 100% Field Training

  • Students transition from classroom and booth training to full-time field welding.
  • First hour of each day spent in our Pipe Fitting Laboratory, then the rest of the day in the FRP Building.
  • The goal: By graduation, MWI students are ready to hit the ground running on any job site.

How This Facility Benefits MWI Students

  • Faster Job Readiness: Welding in a real-world setting before graduation means no struggle to adapt to field conditions.
  • Higher Pay & More Job Offers: Employers prioritize MWI graduates because they come field-ready from day one.
  • Seamless Transition to Field Work: Training with scaffolding, safety harnesses, confined spaces, and job-site obstacles eliminates the learning curve after hiring.
  • Practical, Hands-On Learning: Welding is not just about theory—it’s about being able to work in the toughest conditions.

“This is as real as it gets—the FRP Building is the closest thing to welding on a live job site.”
— MWI Training Staff

No Other Welding School Compares

Missouri Welding Institute is the only welding trade school in the nation with a full-scale field welding training facility.

What does this mean for you?

  • A better education.
  • More job opportunities.
  • Higher starting pay.
  • Confidence walking onto your first job site.

At MWI, we don’t just train welders—we build industry leaders.