Tag Archives: How to Become a Certified Welder near Concord CA 94518

Welding Schools Near Me | How to Become a Welder – Concord CA

How to Find the Right Welding Certification Course near Concord California

Concord CA welding school studentFinding the right welding vocational school near Concord CA is an important first step to beginning your new career as a professional welder. But since there are a lot of schools to pick from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more notably, once you have fine tuned your options, how do you select the best one? Most people start by checking out the schools that are nearest to their homes. Once they have located those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the least costly one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are important concerns when examining welder trade 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 delve into our due diligence checklist, let’s cover a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welder Certificate and Degree Training

Concord CA welder working on pipingThere are several alternatives available to receive 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 combined with an apprenticeship program. Below are brief descriptions of the most typical welding programs offered in the Concord CA.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are normally offered by trade and technical schools and require about 1 year to complete. They are more hands-on training in nature, fashioned largely 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 extensive education than the diploma or certificate while still supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

A number of states and municipalities do have licensing prerequisites for welders, so don’t forget to find out for your location of future employment. As needed, the welder school you select should prep you for any licensing exams that you will have to pass in addition to supplying the proper training to become a professional welder.

Welder Certification Options

Concord CA welder working on poleThere are various organizations that offer welding certifications, which evaluate the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Many Concord CA employers not only require a certificate or degree from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a respected agency such as the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are offered based 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

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

As previously stated, many cities, states or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those requiring licensing, many also require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a way to prove to employers that you are a highly skilled and qualified welder. So similarly as with licensing, check the requirements for your local area and make certain that the welding vocational school you decide on preps you for certification if needed.

How to Choose a Welder Technical Program

Concord CA welder working on carWhen you have decided on the credential you want to attain, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to compare schools. As you probably know, there are a large number of welder vocational and trade schools in the Concord CA area. That’s why it’s necessary to determine in advance what qualifications your selected school must have. We have previously covered two important ones that most people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. As stated, although they are very important qualifiers, they are not the only ones that should be considered. After all, the program you pick is going to furnish the training that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So following are some additional factors you may need to evaluate before picking a welder trade school.

Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welder vocational school you decide on is accredited by either a regional or a national agency. There are two standard types of accreditation. The school may receive Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a single program the school offers, for instance Welding Technology. So make sure that the program you select is accredited, not just the school alone. Additionally, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping make sure that you receive a superior education, the accreditation can also help in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not offered in Concord CA for non-accredited schools. Finally, 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. A large number of welding degree or diploma programs are provided combined with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will help place you in an apprenticeship or a job after graduation. Ask if the schools you are looking at assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. These schools must have partnerships with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can place their students. Older schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can utilize for referrals. These programs can help students find employment and develop relationships within the Concord CA welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that enroll in an educational program and complete it. It’s important that the welder school you select has a higher completion rate. A low rate could indicate that the students who joined the program were dissatisfied with the instruction, the instructors, or the facilities, and dropped out. The job placement rate is also an indication of the caliber of training. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Concord CA contacts to assist students obtain apprenticeships or employment after graduation.

Modern Facilities and Equipment. Once you have limited your choice of welding schools to 2 or 3 options, you should think out visiting the campuses to look over their facilities. Make sure that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are modern. Specifically, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be working with in the field. If you are unsure what to look for, and are currently in an apprenticeship program, consult with the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Concord CA welding contractor if they can give you a few suggestions.

School Location. Although we already briefly discussed the importance of location, there are a couple of additional issues that we should address. You should remember that unless you can move, the welding program you select must be within commuting distance of your Concord CA home. If you do decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation expenses there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially the case for welding diploma programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school offers an apprenticeship or job placement program, more than likely their placements are within the school’s regional community. So the location of the school should be in an area or state where you ultimately will wish to work.

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

Flexible Class Schedules. Many people learn a new profession while still working at their current job. Check to see that the class schedules for the programs you are looking at are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Concord CA, verify that the schools you are assessing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you choose offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make up classes if you you miss any due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Concord CA?

Perhaps you live in the Concord California area, or have decided to enroll in a Welding Program that has a campus near there.  In either case, you may find this bit of history both interesting and informative.

Concord, California

Concord (/ˈkɒŋkərd/ KON-kord)[11] is the largest city in Contra Costa County, California. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 122,067 making it the 8th largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area.[12][13] Founded in 1869 as the community of Todos Santos by Salvio Pacheco, the name was changed to Concord within months. The city is a major regional suburban East Bay center within the San Francisco Bay Area, and is 29 miles (47 kilometres) east of San Francisco.

Concord is located at 37°58′41″N 122°01′52″W / 37.97806°N 122.03111°W / 37.97806; -122.03111.[11] It is 29 miles (47 kilometres) northeast of San Francisco, 22 miles (35 km) northeast from Oakland, 65 miles (105 km) southwest of Sacramento, and 51 miles (82 km) north of San Jose.[15]

The focal point of downtown Concord is Todo Santos Plaza, which encompasses an entire city block and is known for its farmers market, free summer concerts, and large number of surrounding restaurants. Much of the area immediately around downtown has recently been redeveloped, with new high-density apartment and condominium projects to take advantage of the proximity to public transportation and to the area surrounding the park. Despite this, some crime and homelessness remain issues in the downtown area.[16][17]

Online Welding Schools

pipe welder at work in Concord CAWelding is truly a manual kind of vocation, and for that reason not extremely compatible with training online. However, there are some online welding programs offered by specific community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Concord CA area that can be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These classes mainly deal with such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a foundation to initiate their training and education. However, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or work with welding materials until you actually do it. Obviously that can’t be accomplished online. These skills must be learned in an on-campus setting or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is better suited for experienced welders that would like to advance their expertise or perhaps attain a more advanced degree. So if you should discover an online welding certificate or degree program, be extremely cautious and make certain that the majority of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.

Select the Best Welding Technical School Concord CA

Picking the ideal welding school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any welding school that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you pick is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new career as a professional welder in Concord CA.

 

The location could not be found.

 

Business Results 1 - 10 of 97

R & S Erection Of Concord
153 Reviews
Garage Door Services, Fences & Gates
Phone:
2424 Bates Ave, Concord, CA 94520

Fredz Welding
9 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
529 38th St, Richmond, CA 94805

Cordeiro's Welding Service
3 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
19356 Meekland Ave, Hayward, CA 94541

Bay Area Metal Fabrication
7 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
510 Stone Rd, Benicia, CA 94510

Nick's Muffler & DeCarlo Racing Products
4 Reviews
Auto Repair, Metal Fabricators
Phone:
3440 Pacheco Blvd, Martinez, CA 94553

ATR Welding
18 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
22962 Clawiter Rd, Ste 5, Hayward, CA 94545

Smith & Sons Welding And Fabrication
3 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
2216 Cement Hill Rd, Fairfield, CA 94533

Ferguson Welding Service
1 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
30050 Industrial Pkwy SW, Hayward, CA 94544

AAA Welding
3 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
427 San Pablo Ave, Rodeo, CA 94572

Freds Welding
5 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
310 Sandy Ln, Oakley, CA 94561