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

How to Choose a Welder Degree Program near Novi Michigan

Novi MI welding school studentChoosing the right welder trade school near Novi MI is an essential first step to launching your new career as a professional welder. But since there are numerous schools to select from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more notably, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you select the right one? Most prospective students start by reviewing the schools that are nearest 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 evaluating welding trade schools, but they are not the only ones. Other considerations include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before starting your search for a trade school to become a welder, it’s wise to create a list of qualifications that your chosen school must have. But before we delve into our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welder Degree and Certificate Programs

Novi MI welder working on pipingThere are several alternatives available to get training as a welder in a trade or vocational school. You can earn a a certificate, a diploma 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 made available combined with an apprenticeship program. Below are brief explanations of the most common welding programs available in the Novi MI.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally made available by technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, designed largely to teach welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or supplemental 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 well-rounded education than the diploma or certificate while still supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

Many municipalities and states do have licensing requirements for welders, therefore be sure to find out for your location of potential employment. If needed, the welding school you choose should prep you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to furnishing the suitable training to become a qualified welder.

Welder Certification Alternatives

Novi MI welder working on poleThere are several organizations that offer welding certifications, which evaluate the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Numerous Novi MI employers not only demand a degree or certificate from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a respected organization such as the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are available based on the kind of work that the welder performs. Just some 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 certain types of welds
  • Work according to contract specifications

As already stated, various cities, states or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those mandating licensing, many also require certification for different types of work. Certification is also a means to prove 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 welder tech school you choose preps you for certification if needed.

How to Decide on a Welding Trade Program

Novi MI welder working on carOnce you have chosen the credential you want to attain, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can begin to compare schools. As you probably know, there are numerous welding vocational and trade schools in the Novi MI area. That’s why it’s important to establish in advance what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have previously covered 2 important ones that most people look at first, which are location and tuition cost. As stated, although they are very important qualifications, they are not the only ones that should be considered. After all, the program you decide on is going to furnish the education that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So below are some additional factors you might need to consider before selecting a welder trade school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welder trade school you pick is accredited by either a regional or a national agency. There are 2 standard kinds of accreditation. The school may earn Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a specific program the school offers, such as Welding Technology. So confirm that the program you select is accredited, not just the school itself. Additionally, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping make sure that you receive an excellent education, the accreditation may also assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available in Novi MI for schools that are not accredited. Also, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited also.

Job Placement and Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous welder diploma or degree programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Other schools will help place you in an apprenticeship or a job after graduation. Ask if the schools you are reviewing assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement 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 Novi MI welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an educational program and complete it. It’s essential that the welding school you pick has a higher completion rate. A lower rate may signify that the students who joined the program were unhappy with the instruction, the instructors, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also an indication of the quality of training. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the program has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Novi MI employer relationships to help students secure apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.

Up-to-date Equipment and Facilities. After you have decreased your selection of welding programs to two or three options, you should think out going to the campuses to inspect their facilities. Make sure that both the equipment and the facilities 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 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 Novi MI welding professional if they can give you a few tips.

School Location. Although we previously briefly discussed the significance of location, there are a couple of additional issues that we need to deal with. You should keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the welding school you select needs to be within driving distance of your Novi MI home. If you do decide 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 true for welding diploma programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school provides an apprenticeship or job placement program, often their placements are within the school’s regional community. So the location of the school should be in an area or state where you subsequently will want to work.

Small Classes. Personalized instruction is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to get lost in bigger classes and not obtain much individualized instruction. Find out what the typical class size is for the welder schools you are considering. Inquire if you can sit in on some classes so that you can see just how much individual attention the students are getting. While there, talk with a few of the students and get their evaluations. Also, talk with a few of the teachers and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.

Convenient Class Schedules. Many people learn a new trade while still employed at their present job. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are considering are convenient enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Novi MI, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide those alternatives. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm that the school you decide on offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make up classes if you you miss any because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Novi MI?

Perhaps you live in the Novi 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.

Novi, Michigan

Novi (/ˈnoʊvaɪ/ NOH-vy) is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,224, an increase over the 2000 census count of 47,386. The city is located approximately 25 miles (40 km) northwest of the center of Detroit, and about 8 miles (13 km) west of the western border of Detroit. It is about 25 miles (40 km) northeast of the center of Ann Arbor. The city is located within the boundaries of the survey township of Novi Township. The remaining unincorporated township is only a tiny fraction surrounded by the city.

Novi was originally a township organized in 1832 from Farmington Township. The name Novi was offered by resident Dr. J. C. Emery, at the suggestion of his wife. Residents were reportedly looking for a shorter name than Farmington.[6]

One misconception is that it was named after the 6th toll gate (No. VI) on the Grand River toll road. But in fact the township was named in 1832 and the toll road was not constructed until the 1850s. A similar claim is made about the township being stop number 6 on the railroad. However, the Holly, Wayne & Monroe Railway (now CSX Transportation) was not constructed through the township until 1870–71, almost 40 years after the township was named. A third popular misconception is that Novi was the sixth stagecoach stop outside of Detroit.[7]

Online Welding Schools

pipe welder at work in Novi MIWelding is truly a manual type of vocation, and consequently not extremely compatible with training online. Having said that, there are some online welding programs offered by various community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Novi MI area that can count toward a degree or certificate program. These classes mainly deal with such topics as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a foundation to begin their education and training. However, the most critical 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 more appropriate for seasoned welders that would like to advance their knowledge or perhaps attain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding certificate or degree program, be extremely cautious and confirm that the larger part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Pick the Best Welding Tech Program Novi MI

Choosing the ideal welding training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare between the programs you are considering. It’s a necessity that any welding training that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their own welding machine to train on. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world frame of reference, 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 provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you pick is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new trade as a professional welder in Novi MI.

 

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