How to Enroll In the Right Welding Training Class near Kennesaw Georgia

Enrolling in the right welder technical school near Kennesaw GA is an essential first step to beginning your new career as a professional welder. But since there are numerous schools to choose from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have fine tuned your alternatives, how do you pick the best one? Most people start by checking out the schools that are closest to their residences. When they have found those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are necessary concerns when examining welding vocational schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before initiating your search for a trade school to become a welder, it’s prudent to create a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we explore our due diligence checklist, let’s cover a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welding Degree and Certificate Training

There are a number of options to get training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can receive a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Engineering or Welding Technology, but are more advanced degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered along with an apprenticeship program. Following are brief summaries of the most typical welding programs offered in the Kennesaw GA.

• Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually made available by technical and trade schools and take about 1 year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, fashioned largely to teach welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or specialized skills for experienced welders.
• Associate Degree Programs will take 2 years to complete and are most often offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology furnishes a more well-rounded education than the certificate or diploma while still furnishing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.

Some states and municipalities do have licensing requirements for welders, therefore be sure to find out for your location of potential employment. As required, the welding school you pick should ready you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to furnishing the proper training to become a qualified welder.

Welding Certification Choices

There are various institutions that offer welding certifications, which evaluate the knowledge and skill level of those applying. A large number of Kennesaw GA employers not only expect a certificate or degree from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a renowned organization like the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are available dependent on the type of work that the welder does. Just some of the skills that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

• Work in compliance with specific codes
• Work with certain metal thicknesses
• Work with specific types of welds
• Perform according to contract specifications

As previously mentioned, many states, cities or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those mandating licensing, a number additionally require certification for different types of work. Certification is also a way to prove to employers that you are an extremely skilled and experienced welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your location and verify that the welder tech school you select preps you for certification if needed.

Questions to Ask Welder Tech Schools

When you have decided on the credential you would like to obtain, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to compare schools. As you can imagine, there are numerous welding vocational and trade schools in the Kennesaw GA area. That’s why it’s essential to decide in advance what qualifications your selected school must have. We have previously covered two significant ones that most people look at first, which are location and tuition cost. As stated, although they are very important qualifications, they are not the only ones that must be considered. After all, the program you pick is going to provide the instruction that will be the foundation of your new career as a welder. So below are more factors you may need to consider before selecting a welding vocational school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welding trade school you select is accredited by either a regional or a national agency. There are two basic kinds of accreditation. The school may receive Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a specific program the school offers, for example Welding Technology. So verify that the program you select is accredited, not just the school itself. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping make sure that you get an excellent education, the accreditation may also help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available in Kennesaw GA for non-accredited schools. Also, for those states or municipalities that mandate licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited as well.

Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. A large number of welding degree or diploma programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Some other schools will assist in placing you in an apprenticeship or a job after graduation. Find out if the schools you are looking at help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. These schools should have partnerships with local unions and other metal working businesses to which they can place their students. More established schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can rely upon for referrals. These programs can assist students in finding employment and develop associations within the Kennesaw GA welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that start an educational program and finish it. It’s essential that the welder school you choose has a higher completion rate. A reduced rate might mean that the students who were in the program were dissatisfied with the training, the teachers, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also an indication of the quality of training. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of Kennesaw GA contacts to help students obtain employment or apprenticeships upon graduation.

Up-to-date Equipment and Facilities. Once you have narrowed down your selection of welder schools to two or three possibilities, you should consider visiting the campuses to look over their facilities. Verify that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be instructed on are modern. In particular, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be using on the job. If you are unsure what to look for, and are already in an apprenticeship program, consult with the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Kennesaw GA welding contractor if they can give you some tips.

School Location. Although we previously briefly discussed the importance of location, there are a couple of additional issues that we should address. You should bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the welding program you pick must be within commuting distance of your Kennesaw GA home. If you do decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly the case for welding diploma programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school offers an apprenticeship or job placement program, most likely their placements are within the school’s regional community. So the location of the school needs to be in a region or state where you ultimately will wish to work.

Small Classes. Individualized instruction is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to be overlooked in bigger classes and not obtain much one-on-one training. Find out what the usual class size is for the welding schools you are looking at. Inquire if you can sit in on some classes so that you can see just how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, talk with several of the students and get their opinions. Also, chat with a couple of the instructors and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.

Flexible Class Scheduling. Lots of folks learn a new profession while still working at their present job. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are convenient enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Kennesaw GA, verify that the schools you are assessing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm that the school you choose offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Online Welder Schools

Welding is very much a manual kind of vocation, and therefore not very suitable for online training. Having said that, there are some online welding programs offered by specific community colleges and technical schools in the greater Kennesaw GA area that may count toward a degree or certificate program. These courses primarily cover such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a novice a foundation to begin their training and education. Nevertheless, the most critical point is that you can’t learn how to weld or work with welding materials unless you actually do it. Clearly that can’t be accomplished online. These skills need to be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is better suited for experienced welders that want to advance their expertise or perhaps obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding degree or certificate program, be very cautious and make sure that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Attending a Welding School in Kennesaw GA?

If you have decided to enroll in a welder training program in the Kennesaw Georgia area, you may find the following information both informative and helpful about the location of your new school campus.

Choose the Ideal Welding Vocational Program Kennesaw GA

Selecting the ideal welding school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. You originally stopped by our website because you had an interest in Learn TIG Welding. However, as we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare among the programs you are considering. It’s a must that any welding training that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional welder in Kennesaw GA.