How to Pick the Right Welder Degree Program near Statham Georgia

Selecting the ideal welder technical school near Statham GA is an important first step to beginning your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to select from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have narrowed down your options, how do you select the best one? Most prospective students begin by looking at the schools that are closest to their homes. When they have found those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are crucial considerations when reviewing welding technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before starting your search for a vocational school to become a welder, it’s wise 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.

Welder Degree and Certificate Programs

There are multiple alternatives available to receive training as a welder in a technical or trade 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 degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available along with an apprenticeship program. Below are short explanations of the most typical welding programs offered in the Statham GA.

• Diploma and Certificate Programs are normally offered by trade and technical schools and take about a year to finish. They are more hands-on training in scope, fashioned largely to develop welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or supplemental skills for working welders.
• Associate Degree Programs will take 2 years to complete and are usually offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology furnishes a more extensive education than the diploma or certificate while still furnishing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.

A number of municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore don’t forget to find out for your location of potential employment. As needed, the welding school you select should ready you for any licensing examinations that you will have to pass in addition to supplying the proper training to become a qualified welder.

Welder Certification Alternatives

There are multiple organizations that offer welder certifications, which test the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Numerous Statham GA employers not only demand a degree or certificate from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a renowned organization like the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are offered based upon the type of work that the welder does. Some of the skills that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to

• Operate in compliance with specific codes
• Work with specified metal thicknesses
• Work with certain kinds of welds
• Operate in compliance with contract specifications

As previously mentioned, many cities, states or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those requiring licensing, many additionally require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a means to demonstrate to employers that you are an extremely skilled and qualified welder. So similarly as with licensing, check the requirements for your local area and make sure that the welder trade school you select readies you for certification if needed.

Questions to Ask Welder Vocational Schools

After you have chosen the credential you want to obtain, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to assess schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of welding trade and vocational schools in the Statham GA area. That’s why it’s necessary to determine in advance what qualifications your selected school must have. We have previously covered 2 important ones that most people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. As mentioned, although they are very important qualifiers, they are not the only ones that need to be looked at. After all, the school you choose is going to provide the education that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So below are some additional factors you may want to evaluate before picking a welding tech school.

Accreditation. It’s essential that the welding technical school you choose is accredited by either a regional or a national agency. There are 2 basic types of accreditation. The school may attain Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a single program the school has, for instance Welding Technology. So verify that the program you choose is accredited, not just the school alone. Additionally, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for example the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping make sure that you get a quality education, the accreditation might also assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered in Statham GA for non-accredited schools. Also, for those states or municipalities that require licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited as well.

Job Placement and Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous welding certificate or degree programs are provided in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will help place you in a job or an apprenticeship upon graduation. Find out if the schools you are reviewing assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. These schools must have associations with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. Older schools may have a more substantial network of graduates that they can rely upon for referrals. These programs can help students find employment and develop relationships within the Statham GA welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an academic program and complete it. It’s essential that the welding school you choose has a high completion rate. A low rate could indicate that the students who were in the program were unhappy with the training, the instructors, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also an indication of the caliber of training. A high job placement rate will not only verify that the program has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of Statham GA contacts to assist students secure employment or apprenticeships after graduation.

Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. After you have decreased your choice of welder schools to 2 or 3 options, you should consider going to the campuses to inspect their facilities. Confirm that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be taught on are up-to-date. Specifically, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be using on the job. If you are uncertain what to look for, and are currently in an apprenticeship program, ask the master welder you are working under for guidance. If not, ask a local Statham GA welding contractor if they can give you some pointers.

School Location. Although we already briefly covered the relevance of location, there are a couple of additional issues that we need to cover. You should keep in mind that unless you have the ability to move, the welder school you pick needs to be within driving distance of your Statham GA home. If you do opt to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides moving costs there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially true for welding diploma programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, 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 ultimately will wish to work.

Small Classes. One-on-one training is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to get lost in bigger classes and not get much personalized instruction. Find out what the typical class size is for the welding schools you are looking at. Ask if you can sit in on some classes so that you can see how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, speak with several of the students and get their opinions. Similarly, speak with a few of the trainers and ask what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they have earned.

Convenient Class Schedules. Some people learn a new profession while still employed at their present job. Check to see that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Statham GA, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the protocol is to make up classes if you you miss any because of work, illness or family circumstances.

Online Welder Certificate and Degree Programs

Welding is truly a hands-on kind of trade, and therefore not very compatible with online training. Having said that, there are some online welding classes offered by specific community colleges and technical schools in the greater Statham GA area that may be credited toward a certificate or degree program. These classes mainly deal with such topics as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a novice a foundation to initiate their education and training. However, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials unless you actually do it. Obviously that can’t be accomplished online. These skills need to be learned in an on-campus setting or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is more appropriate for experienced welders that want to advance their expertise or perhaps earn a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding certificate or degree program, be very careful and make sure that the majority of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.

Attending a Welding School in Statham GA?

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

Select the Right Welding Tech School Statham GA

Picking the best welding school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. You originally stopped by our website because you had an interest in Coded Welding Courses. However, as we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare among the programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any welder training program that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides different options for certification also. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional welder in Statham GA.