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Welding Schools Near Me | How to Become a Welder – Willimantic CT

How to Enroll In a Welding Certification Program near Willimantic Connecticut

Willimantic CT welding school studentLocating the ideal welder trade school near Willimantic CT is an essential first step to beginning your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are a lot of schools to choose from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have fine tuned your choices, how do you select the best one? Many people begin by looking at the schools that are closest to their homes. Once they have found those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and tuition cost are necessary concerns when evaluating welder technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before beginning your search for a trade 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 cover a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welding Degree and Certificate Training Classes

Willimantic CT welder working on pipingThere are a number of alternatives available to get training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can obtain a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced courses than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Following are short explanations of the most prevalent welding programs available in the Willimantic CT.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually made available by technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, fashioned primarily 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 two years to complete and are most often offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology provides a more extensive education than the certificate or diploma while still providing the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

Some municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, so don’t forget to check for your location of potential employment. As required, the welding school you pick should prep you for any licensing examinations that you will need to pass in addition to furnishing the proper training to become a professional welder.

Welder Certification Choices

Willimantic CT welder working on poleThere are several organizations that provide welding certifications, which evaluate the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Many Willimantic CT employers not only require a degree or certificate from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a respected agency like the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are available based upon the kind of work that the welder does. Just some of the things that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to

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

As earlier mentioned, some states, cities or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those calling for licensing, a number also require certification for different types of work. Certification is also a means to prove to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and experienced welder. So similarly as with licensing, check the requirements for your local area and make certain that the welder tech school you choose prepares you for certification if needed.

How to Pick a Welding Trade School

Willimantic CT welder working on carOnce you have decided on the credential you want to obtain, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to assess schools. As you probably know, there are a large number of welding trade and vocational schools in the Willimantic CT area. That’s why it’s important to determine up front what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have previously discussed a couple of significant ones that many people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. As stated, although they are essential qualifications, they are not the only ones that should be considered. After all, the program you choose is going to furnish the education that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So below are more factors you might want to consider before selecting a welder tech school.

Accreditation. It’s essential that the welding vocational school you pick is accredited by either a regional or a national organization. There are 2 standard types of accreditation. The school may earn 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 choose is accredited, not just the school itself. Additionally, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping ensure that you receive a superior education, the accreditation can also help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable in Willimantic CT for non-accredited schools. Also, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited also.

Apprenticeship and Job Placement Programs. A large number of welding degree or diploma programs are provided in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will help place you in an apprenticeship or a job after graduation. Find out if the schools you are reviewing help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. These schools must have relationships with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. More established schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can utilize for placements. These programs can assist students in finding employment and establish associations within the Willimantic CT welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that start an educational program and complete it. It’s important that the welder program you select has a higher completion rate. A lower rate could indicate that the students who joined 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 quality of training. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the program has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Willimantic CT employer relationships to help students secure apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.

Modern Equipment and Facilities. Once you have limited your choice of welding programs to 2 or 3 options, you should think out going to the campuses to look over their facilities. Verify that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be taught on are modern. Specifically, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be using in the field. If you are unsure 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 Willimantic CT welding professional if they can give you a few tips.

School Location. Although we already briefly discussed the significance of location, there are a few additional points that we should address. You should keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the welding program you select must be within commuting distance of your Willimantic CT home. If you do choose to enroll in an out-of-state school, apart from relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly true for welding certificate programs offered by community colleges. Also, if the school provides 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 desire to work.

Smaller Classes. Individualized instruction is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to get lost in bigger classes and not get much one-on-one training. Ask what the usual class size is for the welder schools you are looking at. Inquire if you can attend a couple of classes so that you can observe just how much individual attention the students are receiving. While there, talk with a few of the students and get their feedback. Similarly, chat with a few of the teachers and ask what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they have earned.

Flexible Class Schedules. Some people learn a new trade while still employed at their current job. Check to see that the class schedules for the schools you are considering are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Willimantic CT, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend 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 due to work, sickness or family circumstances.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Willimantic CT?

Perhaps you live in the Willimantic Connecticut 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.

Willimantic, Connecticut

Willimantic is a census-designated place, former city and borough. It is located in the town of Windham in Windham County, Connecticut. Known as "Thread City" for the American Thread Company's mills along the Willimantic River, it was a center of the textile industry in the 19th century. Originally incorporated as a city in 1893, it entered a period of decline after the Second World War, culminating in the mill's closure and the city's reabsorption into the town of Windham in the 1980s. Heroin use, present since the 1960s, became a major public health problem in the early 2000s,[6] declining somewhat by the 2010s.[7] Though the city was a major rail hub, an Interstate Highway has never passed within ten miles, despite early plans to connect it.[8]

Willimantic was populated by a series of ethnic groups migrating to the city to find work at the mills, originally Western European and French Canadian immigrants, later Eastern Europeans and Puerto Ricans.[9] Architecturally, it is known for its collection of Victorian-era houses and other buildings in the hill section, the Romanesque Revival town hall and two crossings of the Willimantic River: a footbridge and the "Frog Bridge". It is home to Eastern Connecticut State University and the Windham Textile and History Museum. As of 2016, Willimantic had an estimated population of 17,339 people.[1]

Willimantic is named for the Willimantic River which passes through it. The word was first attested in English writing as Waramanticut in 1684,[10] and later as Wallamanticuk, Wewemantic and Weammantuck before being standardized as Willimantic.[11] The word is of Algonquian origin, either Mohegan-Pequot or Narragansett. It is commonly translated as "land of the swift running water", but the word more likely means "place near the evergreen swamp".[12]

Online Welding Degree and Certificate Programs

pipe welder at work in Willimantic CTWelding is truly a hands-on kind of profession, and for that reason not very compatible with training online. Even so, there are some online welding courses offered by certain community colleges and trade schools in the greater Willimantic CT area that may count toward a degree or certificate program. These classes mainly cover such topics as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a basis to begin their education and training. However, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or work with welding materials unless 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 more appropriate for experienced welders that desire to advance their expertise or possibly attain a more advanced degree. So if you should discover an online welding degree or certificate program, be very cautious and confirm that the greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.

Select the Right Welding Trade Program Willimantic CT

Choosing the best welding school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any welding training that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their own welding machine to train on. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you pick is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional welder in Willimantic CT.

 

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