Real skills, serious equipment, and instructors who treat you like a future colleague rather than just a student number.
The shop environment bridges the gap between basic classroom fundamentals and the fast pace of real industry work. You get genuine repetitions on the lifts, alignment racks, diagnostic scanners, and core mechanical overhauls. What stands out most is the mentorship: the instructors expect precision, safety, and accountability—the exact discipline employers actually look for.
If you show up early, ask the right questions, and stay curious, Tidewater Tech gives you the blueprint and the hands-on leverage to launch a serious career in the trades. Solid 5 stars.
ER
Elexia Robledo
Sep 22, 2026
There are plenty of better schools for career development other than this school. My husband attended this school, and was able to learn multiple skills in the welding department. However, it’s very disappointing to have watched my husband come home almost everyday feeling discouraged and frustrated. Several of his instructors were great and helped him a tremendous amount. Most of the instructors advised him of how good his welds were. He was always the top of his class and worked extremely hard to make sure all of his plates were turned in on time and done efficiently. When testing, the tester (TRENT) countlessly failed him due to his personal feelings in disliking my husband. No matter how hard my husband worked on his tests plates, he already knew Trent would fail him either way. Ultimately, it’s the testers final say on whether a welder can continue as a welder. If Trent simply does not like you because you do not have the same personality type as him or are not able to be his “pet” then you already automatically failed. It puts a target on your back, as it did to my husband. Luckily my husband was able to find a welding job but not because of the school, only because of his dedicated hardworking mindset. The entire school was a complete waste of time, waste of hard working money and just simply a complete waste of time. Trent continued to belittle my husband and make countless amount of nasty remarks towards him. This school was supposed to help my husband earn his certificate and earn so much more. All he has learned, is how he now hates the school, hates the people, hates how he wasted his money when it could have been used towards a better school, hates how people can attempt to belittle him as a man, hates that people continuously attempt to stop him from succeeding. People like the SO BIG AND BAD Trent need to be humbled drastically. The amount of sweat, hard work and frustration my husband has goes beyond this review. This is to bring awareness to all other possible applicators! PLEASE CHOOSE ANOTHER SCHOOL, one who will have people to actually want you to succeed not just for your money.
DR
Dontay Rushing
Aug 19, 2026
Not a complaint in sight.
DA
Dennis Amoako
Aug 5, 2026
I would like to formally commend Ms. Tyra in Financial Aid for her exemplary service. She efficiently resolved an issue with my GI Bill within 24 hours and demonstrated extraordinary care to ensure a complete resolution. I rate my experience 5/5 and deeply appreciate her dedication.
AD
Anafer Dugan
Jun 24, 2026
I went to school back here in 2024, a lot of empty promises. Save your money. Even had an instructor tell me to “kill myself” at first I thought he was joking and the he said “no I’m serious” took out a loan for no reason, you can find a job that will teach you more. I asked for help to find a job (I hadn’t graduated yet) and the lady even told me that there were a lot of graduated students still unable to find a job.
Update- they gave me the wrong email to email them. They just sent me an invoice when I dropped out of school and they literally said I paid everything so I have no idea why they are trying to get more money out of me when i left in 2024.