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

How to Enroll In a Welder Certificate Program near Negaunee Michigan

Negaunee MI welding school studentSelecting the ideal welding trade school near Negaunee MI is an important 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 significantly, once you have fine tuned your options, how do you select the best one? Many prospective students begin by looking at the schools that are closest to their residences. When they have identified those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are necessary considerations when examining welding trade schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before beginning your search for a vocational school to become a welder, it’s sensible to create a list of qualifications that your chosen school must have. But before we explore our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welding Degree and Certificate Training

Negaunee MI welder working on pipingThere are several options available to get training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can receive a a certificate, a diploma or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced programs than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available along with an apprenticeship program. Below are short explanations of the most typical welding programs available in the Negaunee MI.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by trade and technical schools and require about one year to complete. They are more hands-on training in nature, designed mainly to develop welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or additional 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 provides a more extensive education than the diploma or certificate while still furnishing the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

A number of states and municipalities do have licensing requirements for welders, so be sure to find out for your location of potential employment. If required, the welder school you pick should prep you for any licensing examinations that you will have to pass in addition to furnishing the proper training to become a qualified welder.

Welder Certification Choices

Negaunee MI welder working on poleThere are several organizations that provide welder certifications, which assess the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Many Negaunee MI employers not only require a certificate or degree from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a renowned organization like the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are available based on the kind of work that the welder performs. Just some of the skills that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

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

As already stated, many states, cities or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those requiring licensing, many also require certification for various kinds of work. Certification is also a means to demonstrate to employers that you are an extremely skilled and knowledgeable welder. So just as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and make sure that the welder technical school you decide on prepares you for certification if needed.

How to Decide on a Welding Technical Program

Negaunee MI welder working on carAs soon as you have chosen the credential you would like to earn, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can begin to compare schools. As you probably know, there are numerous welder vocational and trade schools in the Negaunee MI area. That’s why it’s essential to decide up front what qualifications your selected school must have. We have previously covered 2 important ones that many people consider first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As stated, although they are essential qualifiers, they are not the only ones that must be considered. After all, the program you decide on is going to furnish the training that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So following are some additional factors you may want to consider before picking a welding vocational school.

Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welder vocational school you pick is accredited by either a regional or a national organization. There are two 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 instance Welding Technology. So make certain that the program you pick is accredited, not just the school alone. Also, 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 ensure that you obtain a quality education, the accreditation might also help in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable in Negaunee MI for schools that are not accredited. Finally, for those states or local governments that mandate licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited also.

Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. Many welder diploma or degree programs are provided in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will assist in placing you in an apprenticeship or a job after graduation. Find out if the schools you are reviewing assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. The schools must have relationships with local unions and other 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 help students find employment and develop relationships within the Negaunee MI welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an educational program and finish it. It’s important that the welding school you select has a high completion rate. A low rate might indicate that the students who were in the program were unhappy with the instruction, the instructors, or the facilities, and dropped out. The job placement rate is also an indication of the quality of training. A high job placement rate will not only verify that the program has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Negaunee MI employer relationships to help students obtain apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.

Modern Facilities and Equipment. After you have limited your choice of welder programs to two or three options, you should consider visiting the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Make sure that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date. In particular, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be working with on the job. If you are unsure what to look for, and are already in an apprenticeship program, consult with the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Negaunee MI welding contractor if they can give you a few tips.

School Location. Although we previously briefly covered the importance of location, there are a couple of additional issues that we should address. You should bear in mind that unless you have the ability to move, the welding school you select needs to be within commuting distance of your Negaunee MI home. If you do opt to attend an out-of-state school, apart from moving costs there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially true for welder diploma programs offered by community colleges. Additionally, 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 needs to be in a region or state where you ultimately will desire to work.

Smaller Classes. Personalized training is important for a manual trade such as welding. It’s possible to get overlooked in larger classes and not obtain much personalized training. Ask what the average class size is for the welding schools you are looking at. Inquire if you can attend some classes so that you can experience how much individual attention the students are getting. While there, speak with several of the students and get their opinions. Similarly, chat with a couple of the instructors and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they have earned.

Flexible Class Scheduling. Many people learn a new profession while still employed at their present job. Make sure 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 Negaunee MI, make certain that the schools you are considering offer those options. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, confirm that the school you choose offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out 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 Negaunee MI?

Perhaps you live in the Negaunee 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.

Negaunee, Michigan

Negaunee is a city in Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,568 at the 2010 census. The city is located at the southwest corner of Negaunee Township in the Upper Peninsula. The city is home to the Michigan Iron Industry Museum and also a luge track. The name Negaunee comes from an Anishinabemowin (Ojibwa) word nigani, meaning "foremost, in advance, leading," which was determined to be the closest Ojibwa translation for "pioneer". Within the city limits is Teal Lake.

The city was built after the discovery of the Marquette Iron Range during the early 19th century. The Jackson Mine was established in 1845 to mine the ore for shipment to iron forges; the first such forge to operate in the Lake Superior basin was set up in Negaunee during this period. In 1858, the community was given a post office. In 1865, Negaunee was incorporated as a village and reincorporated as a city in 1873.[6] As mining operations expanded, many immigrants helped settle the area, bringing with them rich traditions that remain today. Due to extensive underground mining roughly half the city was abandoned in the early 20th century due to risk of cave-in. The city closed its trolley system in 1927. The Jackson Mine ceased all operations within the city limits in the 1940s.

Negaunee sits on the eastern shore of Teal Lake, all of which is considered within the city borders. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.45 square miles (37.43 km2), of which 13.56 square miles (35.12 km2) is land and 0.89 square miles (2.31 km2) is water.[1]

Online Welder Training Programs

pipe welder at work in Negaunee MIWelding is truly a manual kind of profession, and consequently not extremely compatible with online training. However, there are a few online welding courses offered by various community colleges and technical schools in the greater Negaunee MI area that may be credited toward a certificate or degree program. These courses primarily cover such subjects as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give a novice a foundation to begin their training and education. Nevertheless, the most important point is that you can’t learn how to weld or handle welding materials unless you actually do it. Obviously that can’t be accomplished online. These skills need to be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is more appropriate for seasoned welders that would like to advance their expertise or perhaps attain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding certificate or degree program, be extremely careful and verify that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.

Select the Right Welding Tech Program Negaunee MI

Selecting the ideal welding school will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any welding school that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their own welding machine to train on. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional welder in Negaunee MI.

 

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