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Welding Schools Near Me | How to Become a Welder – Tecumseh MI

How to Choose a Welding Certification Class near Tecumseh Michigan

Tecumseh MI welding school studentSelecting the right welder vocational school near Tecumseh MI is an essential first step to launching your new career as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to pick from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more significantly, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you select the right one? Many people start by reviewing the schools that are nearest to their homes. When they have identified those that are within driving distance, they are drawn toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and tuition cost are important issues when reviewing welding technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors 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 chosen school must have. But before we explore our due diligence checklist, let’s cover a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welding Certificate and Degree Programs

Tecumseh MI welder working on pipingThere are multiple options to obtain training as a welder in a trade or vocational school. You can receive a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are offered in Welding Engineering or Welding Technology, but are more advanced programs than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Following are short summaries of the most common welding programs offered in the Tecumseh MI.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They are more hands-on training in scope, fashioned largely to develop 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 2 years to finish and are usually offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology offers a more extensive 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 potential employment. As required, the welder school you pick should prepare you for any licensing examinations that you will need to take in addition to providing the suitable training to become a professional welder.

Welding Certification Alternatives

Tecumseh MI welder working on poleThere are several organizations that offer welder certifications, which assess the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Numerous Tecumseh MI employers not only require a degree or certificate from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a renowned agency such as the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are available based on the kind of work that the welder does. Just some of the skills that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to

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

As previously stated, some cities, states or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those requiring licensing, many additionally require certification for various types of work. Certification is also a means to demonstrate to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable welder. So similarly as with licensing, check the requirements for your local area and confirm that the welder technical school you select preps you for certification if needed.

How to Pick a Welder Vocational School

Tecumseh MI welder working on carAs soon as you have decided on the credential you would like to obtain, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to assess schools. As you probably know, there are many welding trade and technical schools in the Tecumseh MI area. That’s why it’s important to decide up front what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have already discussed a couple of important ones that most people look at first, which are location and tuition cost. As mentioned, although they are essential qualifiers, they are not the only ones that must be looked at. After all, the program you select is going to provide the training that will be the foundation of your new career as a welder. So following are more factors you may need to consider before choosing a welder trade school.

Accreditation. It’s essential that the welding trade school you decide on is accredited by either a national or a regional organization. There are 2 basic kinds of accreditation. The school may earn Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a single program the school offers, such as Welding Technology. So make certain that the program you pick is accredited, not just the school itself. Additionally, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping make sure that you obtain a quality education, the accreditation might also assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often not offered in Tecumseh MI for schools that are not accredited. Also, for those states or municipalities that require licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited as well.

Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. A large number of welder diploma or degree programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Some other schools will assist in placing you in a job or an apprenticeship upon graduation. Ask if the schools you are looking at help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. These schools should have relationships with local unions and various 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 assist students in finding employment and develop relationships within the Tecumseh MI welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that enroll in an academic program and complete it. It’s important that the welding program you pick has a higher completion rate. A reduced rate could mean that the students who enrolled in the program were dissatisfied with the instruction, the teachers, 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 affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Tecumseh MI contacts to help students obtain apprenticeships or employment after graduation.

Up-to-date Equipment and Facilities. Once you have limited your selection of welder schools to 2 or 3 possibilities, you should consider going to the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Make sure that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are modern. In particular, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be working with on the job. If you are uncertain 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 Tecumseh MI welding contractor if they can give you some suggestions.

School Location. Even though we previously briefly talked about the importance of location, there are a couple of additional points that we should deal with. You should bear in mind that unless you have the ability to relocate, the welder school you choose needs to be within commuting distance of your Tecumseh MI 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 particularly the case for welding certificate programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school offers an apprenticeship or job placement program, most likely their placements are within the school’s local community. So the location of the school should be in an area or state where you subsequently will wish to work.

Smaller Classes. One-on-one training is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to get lost in bigger classes and not get much one-on-one instruction. Find out what the typical class size is for the welder schools you are considering. Ask if you can attend a couple of classes so that you can witness how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, speak with some of the students and get their opinions. Also, speak with some of the teachers and ask what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they have earned.

Convenient Class Scheduling. Lots of folks learn a new trade while still employed at their current job. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are considering are flexible enough to satisfy your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Tecumseh MI, make certain that the schools you are looking at provide those alternatives. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make up classes if you you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Tecumseh MI?

Perhaps you live in the Tecumseh Michigan 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.

Tecumseh, Michigan

Tecumseh is a small city in Lenawee County, Michigan, United States. It is situated where M-50 crosses the River Raisin, a few miles east of M-52. Tecumseh is about 60 miles (97 km) southwest of Detroit, 25 miles (40 km) south of Ann Arbor and 40 miles (64 km) north of Toledo, Ohio.

As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,521. The city is surrounded on three sides by Tecumseh Township, but is politically independent. Raisin Township borders the southern edge of the city. The city was rated #93 in 2009, as one of 100 of the best small towns to live in by CNNMoney.[6]

The boundaries of Lenawee County were laid out by a proclamation of the Territorial Governor, Lewis Cass on September 10, 1822.[7] Lenawee remained attached to Monroe County, out of which it was formed, until an act of the Territorial Legislature passed on December 26, 1826, organized the county government.

Online Welder Training

pipe welder at work in Tecumseh MIWelding is very much a manual kind of vocation, and consequently not very compatible with online training. Having said that, there are a small number of online welding courses offered by various community colleges and technical schools in the greater Tecumseh MI area that can be credited toward a certificate or degree program. These courses primarily cover such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a foundation to initiate their training and education. Nevertheless, the most important point is that you can’t learn how to weld or handle welding materials until you actually do it. Clearly 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 better suited for experienced welders that would like to advance their knowledge or possibly attain a more advanced degree. So if you should come across an online welding certificate or degree program, be very careful and make sure that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.

Find the Ideal Welding Trade Program Tecumseh MI

Choosing the right welder school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any welding training that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their personal welding machine to train on. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional welder in Tecumseh MI.

 

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