How to Find the Right Welder Trade School near Lithonia Georgia

Finding the ideal welder technical school near Lithonia GA is an essential first step to launching your new career as a professional welder. But since there are a lot of schools to pick from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have narrowed down your options, how do you select the right one? Many people begin by checking out the schools that are nearest to their residences. Once they have located those that are within driving distance, they gravitate toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are important issues when reviewing welder trade schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before beginning your search for a trade school to become a welder, it’s prudent to create a list of qualifications that your chosen school must have. But before we examine our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welder Degree and Certificate Training

There are several options available to obtain training as a welder in a trade or vocational school. You can obtain a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are offered in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced programs than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered along with an apprenticeship program. Following are short summaries of the most common welding programs offered in the Lithonia GA.

• Diploma and Certificate Programs are normally made available by technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They are more hands-on training in nature, designed mainly to teach welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or supplemental skills for experienced welders.
• Associate Degree Programs will take two years to finish and are usually offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology provides a more well-rounded education than the certificate or diploma while still providing the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

Some states and municipalities do have licensing prerequisites for welders, so be sure to find out for your location of future employment. As required, the welding school you pick should prep you for any licensing examinations that you will have to pass in addition to providing the appropriate training to become a professional welder.

Welding Certification Choices

There are various institutions that provide welding certifications, which evaluate the knowledge and skill level of those applying. A large number of Lithonia GA employers not only demand a degree or certificate from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a highly regarded agency like the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are available dependent on the kind of work that the welder performs. A few of the skills that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

• Work in compliance with specific codes
• Work with specific metal thicknesses
• Work with certain types of welds
• Work based on contract specifications

As earlier mentioned, various states, cities or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those mandating licensing, some additionally require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a means to demonstrate to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and qualified welder. So just as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and confirm that the welding trade school you select readies you for certification if needed.

Points to Ask Welding Vocational Programs

After you have decided on the credential you would like to obtain, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to compare schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are many welding trade and vocational schools in the Lithonia GA area. That’s why it’s important to establish up front what qualifications your selected school must have. We have previously discussed a couple of important ones that most people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. As mentioned, although they are very important qualifications, they are not the only ones that should be considered. After all, the school you choose is going to furnish the training that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So below are some additional factors you may want to consider before picking a welding technical school.

Accreditation. It’s essential that the welding vocational school you decide on is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are two standard kinds of accreditation. The school may earn Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a specific program the school has, for instance Welding Technology. So make certain that the program you select is accredited, not just the school itself. Additionally, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping make sure that you receive a superior education, the accreditation can also help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not offered in Lithonia GA for non-accredited schools. Also, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited as well.

Job Assistance and Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous welding certificate or degree programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Other schools will help place you in a job or an apprenticeship upon graduation. Find out if the schools you are considering assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. The schools must have relationships with local unions and other metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. More established schools may have a more substantial network of graduates that they can rely upon for placements. These programs can help students find employment and establish associations within the Lithonia GA welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that start an educational program and complete it. It’s essential that the welder program you choose has a higher completion rate. A reduced rate might indicate that the students who enrolled in the program were unhappy with the training, the teachers, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also a good indicator of the caliber of training. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the program has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of Lithonia GA employer relationships to help students obtain employment or apprenticeships after graduation.

Modern Equipment and Facilities. After you have narrowed down your choice of welder schools to two or three options, you should think out going to the campuses to look over their facilities. Confirm that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be taught on are modern. Specifically, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be using on the job. If you are uncertain 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 Lithonia GA welding professional if they can give you some pointers.

School Location. Even though we already briefly covered the significance of location, there are a few additional issues that we need to address. You should remember that unless you can relocate, the welding program you pick needs to be within driving distance of your Lithonia GA home. If you do opt to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides moving costs there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially true for welder certificate programs offered by community colleges. Additionally, if the school offers a job placement or apprenticeship program, often their placements are within the school’s local community. So the location of the school needs to be in a region or state where you subsequently will want to work.

Small Classes. One-on-one instruction is important for a manual trade such as welding. It’s possible to get lost in larger classes and not get much individualized instruction. Ask what the typical class size is for the welding schools you are considering. Ask if you can attend a few classes so that you can witness just how much personal attention the students are receiving. While there, talk with a few of the students and get their evaluations. Similarly, talk with some of the teachers and ask what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they hold.

Flexible Class Scheduling. Many people learn a new profession while still employed at their present job. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are considering are convenient enough to satisfy your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Lithonia GA, confirm that the schools you are assessing offer those options. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify that the school you choose offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the protocol is to make up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family circumstances.

Online Welder Degree and Certificate Programs

Welding is truly a manual type of vocation, and therefore not very compatible with online training. Even so, there are some online welding programs offered by certain community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Lithonia GA area that may count toward a degree or certificate program. These classes primarily cover such topics as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help provide a beginner a foundation to begin their education and training. However, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or work with welding materials unless you actually do it. Obviously that can’t be performed 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 would like to advance their expertise or perhaps obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding certificate or degree program, be very cautious and confirm that the majority of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Attending a Welding School in Lithonia GA?

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

Select the Best Welding Technical School Lithonia GA

Selecting the best welding training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally stopped by our website because you had an interest in Online Welding Degree. However, as we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any welder school that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every program provides different options for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional welder in Lithonia GA.