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Welding Schools Near Me | How to Become a Welder – Cobb GA

How to Choose a Welder Training Program near Cobb Georgia

Cobb GA welding school studentSelecting the right welder technical school near Cobb GA is an essential first step to launching your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to pick from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more notably, once you have fine tuned your choices, how do you select the best one? Many prospective students begin by looking at the schools that are closest to their homes. 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 reviewing welder vocational schools, but they are not the only ones. Other considerations 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 wise to establish a list of qualifications that your chosen school must have. But before we examine our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welder Degree and Certificate Training Courses

Cobb GA welder working on pipingThere are several alternatives available to get training as a welder in a technical or trade school. You can obtain a a certificate, a diploma or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Engineering or Welding Technology, but are more advanced courses than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered along with an apprenticeship program. Below are brief descriptions of the most typical welding programs offered in the Cobb GA.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally made available by trade and technical schools and require about one year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, created 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 2 years to finish and are usually offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology offers a more extensive education than the diploma or certificate while still supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

Many states and municipalities do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore don’t forget to find out for your location of future employment. If needed, the welding school you select should prep you for any licensing examinations that you will have to take in addition to providing the proper training to become a professional welder.

Welder Certification Alternatives

Cobb GA welder working on poleThere are various institutions that provide welding certifications, which assess the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Many Cobb GA employers not only expect a degree or certificate from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a renowned agency such as the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are available based upon the type of work that the welder performs. A few of the things that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

  • Work in compliance with specific codes
  • Work with specific metal thicknesses
  • Work with specific types of welds
  • Work in compliance with contract specifications

As formerly mentioned, various cities, states or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those requiring licensing, many additionally require certification for various types of work. Certification is also a way to demonstrate to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and experienced welder. So just as with licensing, look into the requirements for your location and verify that the welding vocational school you choose preps you for certification as needed.

How to Decide on a Welder Vocational School

Cobb GA welder working on carAs soon as you have decided on the credential you want to attain, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can start to compare schools. As you probably know, there are numerous welding vocational and trade schools in the Cobb GA area. That’s why it’s important to establish in advance what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have already discussed 2 important ones that many people look at first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As stated, although they are very important qualifiers, they are not the only ones that must be looked at. After all, the program you choose is going to provide the instruction that will be the foundation of your new career as a welder. So below are more factors you might need to consider before selecting a welding trade school.

Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welding technical school you pick is accredited by either a regional or a national agency. There are 2 standard types of accreditation. The school may attain Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a single program the school offers, for example Welding Technology. So verify that the program you choose 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). Besides helping ensure that you get a superior education, the accreditation might also help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable in Cobb GA for non-accredited schools. Finally, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited as well.

Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. Many welder diploma or degree programs are provided in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Some other schools will assist in placing you in a job or an apprenticeship after graduation. Find out if the schools you are considering help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. These schools must have partnerships with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can place their students. More established schools may have a more substantial network of graduates that they can utilize for placements. These programs can assist students in finding employment and develop relationships within the Cobb GA welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an instructional program and complete it. It’s important that the welder program you pick has a higher completion rate. A low rate may indicate that the students who were in the program were dissatisfied with the training, the instructors, 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 school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Cobb GA contacts to help students secure employment or apprenticeships upon graduation.

Modern Facilities and Equipment. After you have narrowed down your selection of welding schools to 2 or 3 options, you should think out going to the campuses to inspect their facilities. Verify that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be taught on are up-to-date. Specifically, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be working with in the field. If you are not sure 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 Cobb GA welding contractor if they can give you some tips.

School Location. Even though we previously briefly talked about the relevance of location, there are a couple of additional issues that we should deal with. You should keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the welder school you select needs to be within commuting distance of your Cobb GA home. If you do choose to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly the case for welder degree 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 needs to be in a region or state where you subsequently will desire to work.

Smaller Classes. Personalized training is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to get lost in larger classes and not obtain much personalized instruction. Find out what the typical class size is for the welding schools you are considering. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of classes so that you can see just how much personal attention the students are receiving. While there, talk with some of the students and get their evaluations. Similarly, chat with a few of the trainers and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.

Flexible Class Schedules. Lots of folks learn a new profession while still working at their present job. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are considering are convenient enough to satisfy your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Cobb GA, confirm that the schools you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only enroll part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make up classes if you you miss any due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Cobb GA?

Perhaps you live in the Cobb Georgia 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.

Cobb County, Georgia

Cobb County is a suburban county in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2017, the population was 755,754,[1] making it Georgia's third most-populous county. Its county seat and largest city is Marietta.[2]

Along with several adjoining counties, Cobb County was founded on December 3, 1832, by the Georgia General Assembly from the large Cherokee County territory—land northwest of the Chattahoochee River which the state confiscated from the Cherokee Nation and redistributed to settlers via lottery, following the passage of the federal Indian Removal Act.[3] The county was named for Thomas Willis Cobb, a U.S. representative and senator from Georgia. It is believed that Marietta was named for his wife, Mary.[4]

The U.S. Census Bureau ranks Cobb County as the most-educated in the state of Georgia and 12th among all counties in the US.[6] It has ranked among the Top 100 wealthiest counties in the nation.[7] In October 2017, Cobb was ranked as the "Least Obese County in Georgia"[8]

Online Welding Certificate and Degree Programs

pipe welder at work in Cobb GAWelding is very much a manual type of trade, and consequently not extremely suitable for online training. Even so, there are a few online welding classes offered by certain community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Cobb GA area that may count toward a certificate or degree program. These classes primarily cover such subjects as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give a novice a foundation to start their training and education. Nevertheless, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or work with welding materials until you actually do it. Clearly that can’t be done online. These skills must be learned in an on-campus setting or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is better suited for seasoned welders that would like to advance their knowledge or perhaps earn a more advanced degree. So if you should come across an online welding certificate or degree program, be very cautious and make sure that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.

Pick the Best Welding Vocational Program Cobb GA

Selecting the best welder training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any welding school that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses 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 fulfill your needs. Every program offers different options for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional welder in Cobb GA.

 

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