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

How to Choose a Welder Certificate Program near Durham California

Durham CA welding school studentFinding the ideal welder vocational school near Durham CA is an important first step to beginning your new career as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to select from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have narrowed down your options, how do you select the right one? A number of people start by reviewing the schools that are closest to their residences. Once they have located those that are within driving distance, they are drawn toward the least costly one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are necessary concerns when evaluating welder vocational schools, but they are not the only ones. Other considerations include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before initiating your search for a vocational school to become a welder, it’s prudent to establish a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we delve into our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welding Degree and Certificate Training

Durham CA welder working on pipingThere are a number of options to receive training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can earn 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 combined with an apprenticeship program. Following are brief summaries of the most common welding programs offered in the Durham CA.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are normally made available by trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They are more hands-on training in nature, designed largely to develop welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or specialized skills for working welders.
  • Associate Degree Programs will take two years to complete and are most often offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology furnishes a more extensive education than the diploma or certificate while still providing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.

Some states and municipalities do have licensing requirements for welders, therefore don’t forget to check for your location of potential employment. If needed, the welding school you pick should prepare you for any licensing examinations that you will need to pass in addition to supplying the appropriate training to become a qualified welder.

Welding Certification Choices

Durham CA welder working on poleThere are various organizations that offer welding certifications, which evaluate the knowledge and skill level of those applying. A large number of Durham CA employers not only require a certificate or degree from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a highly regarded agency like the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are offered dependent on the kind of work that the welder performs. A few of the skills that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to

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

As previously stated, many cities, states or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those mandating licensing, a number also require certification for different types of work. Certification is also a way to demonstrate to employers that you are a highly skilled and experienced welder. So just as with licensing, check the requirements for your location and make sure that the welding technical school you decide on preps you for certification as needed.

How to Decide on a Welder Trade School

Durham CA welder working on carAs soon as you have chosen the credential you would like to attain, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can begin to evaluate schools. As you can imagine, there are numerous welder trade and vocational schools in the Durham CA area. That’s why it’s important to decide up front what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have previously discussed a couple of 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 school you pick is going to provide the education that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So below are more factors you might need to evaluate before selecting a welding vocational school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welder technical school you select is accredited by either a regional or a national agency. There are two basic types of accreditation. The school may attain Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on an individual program the school has, for example 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 acknowledged accrediting organization, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping ensure that you get an excellent education, the accreditation can also help in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not offered in Durham CA for non-accredited schools. Also, for those states or local governments that mandate licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited as well.

Apprenticeship and Job Placement Programs. Numerous welder certificate or degree programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program. Some other schools will assist in placing 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 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 develop associations within the Durham CA welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that start an instructional program and finish it. It’s important that the welder school you choose has a higher completion rate. A lower rate could indicate that the students who enrolled in the program were unhappy with the instruction, the teachers, or the facilities, and dropped out. The job placement rate is also a good indicator of the caliber of training. A higher 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 Durham CA contacts to assist students secure employment or apprenticeships upon graduation.

Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. After you have decreased your selection of welding programs to two or three possibilities, you should think out going to the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Make sure that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be instructed on are modern. In particular, 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. If not, ask a local Durham CA welding contractor if they can give you some pointers.

School Location. Even though we previously briefly discussed the importance of location, there are a few additional issues that we should cover. You should remember that unless you are able to relocate, the welding program you select must be within commuting distance of your Durham CA 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 particularly true for welder degree programs offered by community colleges. Additionally, if the school provides a job placement or apprenticeship program, more than likely their placements are within the school’s regional community. So the location of the school needs to be in an area or state where you subsequently will want to work.

Smaller Classes. One-on-one training is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to be overlooked in larger classes and not get much individualized instruction. Ask what the average class size is for the welding schools you are considering. Inquire if you can attend a few classes so that you can experience just how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, talk with several of the students and get their opinions. Similarly, talk to a couple of the instructors and ask what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.

Convenient Class Schedules. Lots of folks learn a new profession while still employed at their current job. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are considering are convenient enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Durham CA, make sure that the schools you are considering provide those choices. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family circumstances.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Durham CA?

Perhaps you live in the Durham 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.

Durham, California

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 81.9 square miles (212 km2), of which, 81.8 square miles (212 km2) of it is land and 0.14 square miles (0.36 km2) of it (0.19%) is water. Durham's main agricultural products are almonds and walnuts.

Durham was founded by the Durham Family. It is named for W. W. Durham, member of the California State Assembly.[6] The Durham House still stands today as a reminder of what Durham was back in its early years. Durham was a town in which a railroad ran through and still does today. The railroad is what developed this town and kept it alive. The Durham Flour Mill, which burned down several times, was an integral part of this community.

The 2010 United States Census[9] reported that Durham had a population of 5,518. The population density was 67.3 people per square mile (26.0/km²). The racial makeup of Durham was 5,088 (92.2%) White, 19 (0.3%) African American, 55 (1.0%) Native American, 35 (0.6%) Asian, 9 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 165 (3.0%) from other races, and 147 (2.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 614 persons (11.1%).

Online Welding Training

pipe welder at work in Durham CAWelding is very much a hands-on type of trade, and for that reason not very compatible with online training. However, there are some online welding courses offered by certain community colleges and technical schools in the greater Durham CA area that can count toward a degree or certificate program. These classes primarily deal with such subjects as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a basis to begin their education and training. However, the most important point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials until you actually do it. Obviously 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 knowledge or possibly earn a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding degree or certificate program, be very cautious and make sure that the greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Choose the Right Welding Trade School Durham CA

Choosing the best welder school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any welding training that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their personal welding machine to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional welder in Durham CA.

 

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