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

How to Find the Right Welding Degree Program near Edison Georgia

Edison GA welding school studentSelecting the right welder technical school near Edison GA is an essential first step to starting your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are a lot of schools to pick from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have narrowed down your options, how do you select the right one? Many people start by reviewing the schools that are nearest to their residences. When they have located those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and tuition cost are important concerns when examining welder 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 wise 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 Programs

Edison GA welder working on pipingThere are a number of options to receive training as a welder in a trade or technical 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 courses than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered along with an apprenticeship program. Below are short explanations of the most prevalent welding programs offered in the Edison GA.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by trade and technical schools and take about 1 year to complete. They are more hands-on training in scope, designed primarily 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 most often offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology furnishes a more extensive education than the certificate or diploma while still furnishing the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

Some municipalities and states do have licensing requirements for welders, so don’t forget to check for your location of future employment. As needed, the welding school you choose should prep you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to providing the suitable training to become a qualified welder.

Welder Certification Alternatives

Edison GA welder working on poleThere are various institutions that offer welding certifications, which assess the knowledge and skill level of those applying. A large number of Edison GA employers not only require a degree or certificate from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a respected organization like the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are available dependent on the kind of work that the welder does. Just some of the skills that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

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

As earlier mentioned, many states, cities or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those calling for licensing, a number additionally require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a way to demonstrate to employers that you are an extremely skilled and knowledgeable welder. So similarly as with licensing, check the requirements for your location and verify that the welding tech school you decide on prepares you for certification as needed.

How to Pick a Welding Tech School

Edison GA welder working on carOnce you have decided on the credential you would like to earn, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to compare schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are many welder vocational and trade schools in the Edison GA area. That’s why it’s necessary to establish in advance what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have previously discussed a couple of important ones that most people consider first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As mentioned, although they are very important qualifiers, they are not the only ones that need to be considered. After all, the program you decide on is going to furnish the instruction that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So below are some additional factors you might need to evaluate before picking a welder trade school.

Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welder tech school you choose is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are 2 basic types of accreditation. The school may receive Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a specific program the school has, for instance Welding Technology. So make sure that the program you select is accredited, not just the school itself. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping ensure that you get a quality education, the accreditation can also help in getting financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not offered in Edison GA for schools that are not accredited. Also, for those states or municipalities that mandate licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited as well.

Job Placement and Apprenticeship Programs. Many welding diploma or degree programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will help place you in a job or an apprenticeship upon graduation. Ask if the schools you are looking at assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. The schools should have associations 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 referrals. These programs can assist students in finding employment and develop relationships within the Edison GA welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an academic program and complete it. It’s crucial that the welder program you pick has a high completion rate. A low rate may indicate that the students who joined the program were dissatisfied with the instruction, the teachers, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also an indication of the quality of training. A higher job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Edison GA contacts to help students secure employment or apprenticeships upon graduation.

Modern Facilities and Equipment. After you have limited your selection of welding schools to two or three options, you should think out visiting the campuses to inspect their facilities. Confirm that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be trained on are modern. In particular, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be using on the job. 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 Edison GA 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 points that we need to address. You should remember that unless you have the ability to relocate, the welder school you choose needs to be within driving distance of your Edison GA home. If you do decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, apart from moving expenses there could 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 offers an apprenticeship or job placement program, most likely their placements are within the school’s regional community. So the location of the school needs to be in an area or state where you ultimately will wish to work.

Smaller Classes. Individualized training is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to be overlooked in bigger classes and not obtain much one-on-one training. Find out what the average class size is for the welding programs you are considering. Inquire if you can sit in on some classes so that you can witness how much individual attention the students are receiving. While there, speak with a few of the students and get their evaluations. Also, chat with a few of the teachers and find out what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they hold.

Convenient Class Scheduling. Lots of folks learn a new trade while still employed at their current job. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are looking at are convenient enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Edison GA, make sure that the schools you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make up classes if you you miss any because of work, illness or family circumstances.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Edison GA?

Perhaps you live in the Edison 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.

Edison, Georgia

Edison is a city in Calhoun County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,531 at the 2010 census.[4] The Edison Commercial Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Edison is located in northwestern Calhoun County at 31°33′39″N 84°44′17″W / 31.56083°N 84.73806°W / 31.56083; -84.73806 (31.560891, -84.737984).[7] It is 40 miles (64 km) west of Albany and 20 miles (32 km) east of the Alabama line at Fort Gaines.

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 1,340 people, 512 households, and 334 families residing in the city. The population density was 575.9 people per square mile (222.1/km²). There were 584 housing units at an average density of 251.0 per square mile (96.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 31.94% White, 67.69% African American, and 0.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.27% of the population.

Online Welding Degree and Certificate Programs

pipe welder at work in Edison GAWelding is truly a manual kind of profession, and consequently not extremely suitable for training online. Even so, there are a few online welding classes offered by various community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Edison GA area that may be credited toward a certificate or degree program. These classes mainly cover such topics as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a foundation to start their training and education. Nevertheless, the most critical point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials until you actually do it. Clearly that can’t be performed online. These skills must 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 knowledge or perhaps obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should come across an online welding degree or certificate program, be very careful and verify that the greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Choose the Right Welding Trade School Edison GA

Choosing the best welding training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any welding school that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their personal welding machine to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line 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 training program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you select is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Edison GA.

 

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