ACE (adult community education) courses are excellent. I just finished a MIG welding course. I can do triangle weaves, J weaves, Alloy, 12mm steal up to a load of something like 12 tonnes in the weak direction of the weld. We were welding 10mm steel plate with 3 run fillets and we ended up bending the metal before the weld broke..
So yea...keep an eye out for them. That course was 4 saturdays (8:30-12:30) and cost $160 + welding mask, gloves etc. Materials and machines are included.