How to Find the Right Welding Certification Course near Whitehall New York
Enrolling in the right welder trade school near Whitehall NY is an important first step to beginning your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to choose from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you pick the best one? A number of prospective students begin by reviewing the schools that are closest to their homes. When they have located those that are within driving distance, they are drawn toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are crucial considerations when examining welding vocational schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors 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 sensible to establish a list of qualifications that your chosen school must have. But before we examine our due diligence checklist, let’s cover a little bit about how to become a welder.
Welder Certificate and Degree Training Programs
There are several alternatives available to receive training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can receive a a certificate, a diploma or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced programs than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered combined with an apprenticeship program. Below are brief explanations of the most typical welding programs offered in the Whitehall NY.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are normally made available by trade and technical schools and require about one year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, created primarily to teach welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or additional 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 offers a more well-rounded education than the diploma or certificate while still providing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.
Many municipalities and states do have licensing requirements for welders, so be sure to find out for your location of future employment. If required, the welding school you select should prep you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to providing the proper training to become a qualified welder.
Welder Certification Alternatives
There are several organizations that provide welding certifications, which evaluate the skill level and knowledge of those applying. A large number of Whitehall NY employers not only demand a degree or certificate from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a respected organization like the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are available based upon the kind of work that the welder does. A few of the skills that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to
- Work in compliance with specific codes
- Work with specified metal thicknesses
- Work with various types of welds
- Perform in compliance with contract specifications
As already mentioned, various states, cities or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those requiring licensing, some additionally require certification for various kinds of work. Certification is also a means to prove to employers that you are a highly skilled and experienced welder. So just as with licensing, check the requirements for your local area and confirm that the welding tech school you select preps you for certification as needed.
Points to Ask Welder Vocational Programs
Once you have decided on the credential you want to attain, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to assess schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous welder trade and technical schools in the Whitehall NY area. That’s why it’s important to decide in advance what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have previously discussed 2 important ones that most people consider first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As stated, although they are very important qualifiers, they are not the only ones that need to be looked at. After all, the school you select 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 picking a welder trade school.
Accreditation. It’s very important that the welder technical school you select is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are two standard kinds of accreditation. The school may attain Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a specific program the school offers, for example Welding Technology. So make certain that the program you pick is accredited, not just the school alone. Also, 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 get a quality education, the accreditation may also assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not offered in Whitehall NY for schools that are not accredited. Finally, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited also.
Job Placement and Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous welder certificate or degree programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Some other schools will assist in placing you in an apprenticeship or a job upon graduation. Ask if the schools you are considering help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. These schools must have relationships 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 placements. These programs can help students find employment and establish associations within the Whitehall NY welding community.
Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that begin an instructional program and complete it. It’s crucial that the welder school you select has a high completion rate. A low rate could mean that the students who joined 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 quality of training. A higher job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Whitehall NY employer relationships to help students obtain employment or apprenticeships after graduation.
Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. After you have decreased your choice of welder programs to two or three options, you should think out visiting the campuses to look over their facilities. Confirm that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be instructed on are up-to-date. In particular, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be working with on the job. If you are unsure what to look for, and are already in an apprenticeship program, ask the master welder you are working under for guidance. If not, ask a local Whitehall NY welding professional if they can give you a few suggestions.
School Location. Although we already briefly discussed the significance of location, there are a few additional issues that we should cover. You should remember that unless you have the ability to relocate, the welder program you pick must be within driving distance of your Whitehall NY home. If you do opt to enroll in an out-of-state school, apart from moving expenses there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially true for welder degree programs offered by community colleges. Also, 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 subsequently will desire to work.
Small Classes. One-on-one training is essential for a manual trade such as welding. It’s possible to be overlooked in larger classes and not receive much individualized training. Find out what the typical class size is for the welding programs you are looking at. Inquire if you can attend some classes so that you can see just how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, talk with a few of the students and get their evaluations. Similarly, chat with a couple of the instructors and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they have earned.
Convenient Class Schedules. Many people learn a new trade while still working at their present job. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are considering are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Whitehall NY, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer those alternatives. If you can only enroll part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the policy is to make up classes should you miss any due to illness, work or family circumstances.
Online Welding Courses
Welding is very much a hands-on kind of vocation, and consequently not very suitable for online training. Having said that, there are some online welding courses offered by various community colleges and technical schools in the greater Whitehall NY area that can be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These courses primarily deal with such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a basis to initiate their training and education. However, the most critical point is that you can’t learn how to weld or handle welding materials until you actually do it. Naturally that can’t be accomplished online. These skills have to be learned in an on-campus setting 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 come across an online welding degree or certificate program, be very careful and make certain that the greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.
Attending a Welding School in Whitehall NY?
If you have decided to enroll in a welder training program in the Whitehall New York area, you may find the following information both informative and helpful about the location of your new school campus.
Whitehall, New York
During the late 17th century, the area was a staging ground for raids between English and French colonies. Whitehall was first called "Skenesborough" in 1759 when it was settled by a land grant to a British officer, Philip Skene (1725-after 1785), who later returned to England, and who was subsequently declared an enemy of the State of New York for his land dealings. During the French and Indian War, the town was one of two major routes connecting the English and French Colonies.
During the American Revolution, the village, Skenesborough, was captured by American forces in 1774. Benedict Arnold under Philip Schuyler built a fleet of vessels to confront British forces at Valcour Island (thus the claim that this is the birthplace of the U.S. Navy). The surviving American vessels returned here to be destroyed in order to keep them from falling into enemy hands. The next year John Burgoyne led his forces through this area en route to the Battle of Saratoga. After the war, the town's name was changed to Whitehall.
During the War of 1812 the area was used to build ships to battle British forces on Lake Champlain, culminating at the Battle of Plattsburgh. In 1823, the Champlain Canal was completed to Whitehall. The Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad was extended to Whitehall in 1848. During the second half of the 19th Century, the silk industry grew important in the town.
Select the Right Welding Trade Program Whitehall NY
Selecting the right welding training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally stopped by our website because you had an interest in Good Welding Schools. However, as we have addressed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare among the programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any welder training program that you are examining 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 on. Classroom education should provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each training program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional welder in Whitehall NY.