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Welding Schools Near Me | How to Become a Welder – Audubon MN

How to Pick a Welding Training Program near Audubon Minnesota

Audubon MN welding school studentSelecting the ideal welding vocational school near Audubon MN is an essential first step to launching 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 options, how do you pick the best one? Most people begin by looking at the schools that are closest to their residences. When they have identified those that are within commuting distance, they are drawn toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and tuition cost are important concerns when reviewing welder trade schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns 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 prudent to establish 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 Certificate and Degree Training Courses

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

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are normally offered by trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They are more hands-on training in nature, fashioned largely to develop welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or specialized skills for experienced welders.
  • Associate Degree Programs will take 2 years to complete 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 providing the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

Some municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, so make sure to check for your location of future employment. If required, the welder school you choose should prep you for any licensing exams that you will need to take in addition to furnishing the proper training to become a professional welder.

Welder Certification Options

Audubon MN welder working on poleThere are several organizations that offer welder certifications, which evaluate the skill level and knowledge of those applying. A large number of Audubon MN employers not only demand a certificate or degree from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a renowned organization like the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are available based upon the type of work that the welder performs. Some of the skills that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

  • Operate in compliance with specific codes
  • Work with specified metal thicknesses
  • Work with various kinds of welds
  • Operate based on contract specifications

As already mentioned, some cities, states or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those requiring licensing, a number also require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a way to demonstrate to employers that you are an extremely skilled and qualified welder. So just as with licensing, look into the requirements for your location and verify that the welding technical school you select readies you for certification if needed.

How to Choose a Welding Trade School

Audubon MN welder working on carOnce you have chosen the credential you would like to attain, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can start to evaluate schools. As you probably know, there are a large number of welder trade and vocational schools in the Audubon MN area. That’s why it’s important to decide in advance what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have already discussed a couple of significant ones that many people look at first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As mentioned, although they are very important qualifications, they are not the only ones that must be considered. After all, the program you decide on is going to provide the instruction that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So below are some additional factors you may want to evaluate before selecting a welder vocational school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welding tech school you select is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are 2 basic 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 has, such as Welding Technology. So verify that the program you pick is accredited, not just the school alone. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping ensure that you get an excellent education, the accreditation can also help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable in Audubon MN for non-accredited schools. Also, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited as well.

Job Placement and Apprenticeship Programs. Many welder degree or certificate programs are provided in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Some other schools will help place you in an apprenticeship or a job upon graduation. Find out if the schools you are looking at assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. These schools must have relationships with local unions and other metal working businesses to which they can place their students. More established schools may have a more substantial network of graduates that they can rely upon for referrals. These programs can help students find employment and develop associations within the Audubon MN welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that enroll in an instructional program and finish it. It’s essential that the welding program you select has a high completion rate. A reduced rate may signify that the students who enrolled in the program were unhappy with the instruction, the teachers, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also a good indicator of the quality of training. A high job placement rate will not only verify that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Audubon MN contacts to help students obtain apprenticeships or employment after graduation.

Modern Facilities and Equipment. Once you have limited your choice of welder schools to 2 or 3 possibilities, you should consider going to the campuses to inspect their facilities. Verify that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be trained on are modern. In particular, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be using on the job. If you are uncertain what to look for, and are already in an apprenticeship program, consult with the master welder you are working under for guidance. If not, ask a local Audubon MN welding contractor if they can give you a few suggestions.

School Location. Even though we already briefly talked about the relevance of location, there are a few additional points that we should cover. You should remember that unless you are able to relocate, the welder program you pick needs to be within commuting distance of your Audubon MN home. If you do decide to attend an out-of-state school, apart from relocation expenses there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially the case for welder certificate programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school provides an apprenticeship or job placement program, often their placements are within the school’s local community. So the location of the school needs to be in an area or state where you ultimately will want to work.

Smaller Classes. One-on-one instruction is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to get lost in bigger classes and not receive much individualized instruction. Ask what the typical class size is for the welder programs you are reviewing. Inquire if you can attend some classes so that you can observe just how much individual attention the students are getting. While there, talk with a few of the students and get their opinions. Also, speak with some of the instructors and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.

Convenient Class Schedules. Lots of folks learn a new profession while still working at their current job. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are looking at are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Audubon MN, confirm that the schools you are considering provide those options. If you can only enroll part-time, make certain that the school you choose offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the policy is to make up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Audubon MN?

Perhaps you live in the Audubon Minnesota 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.

Audubon, Minnesota

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 519 people, 194 households, and 132 families residing in the city. The population density was 926.8 inhabitants per square mile (357.8/km2). There were 228 housing units at an average density of 407.1 per square mile (157.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.4% White, 1.7% African American, 2.1% Native American, 0.2% Asian, and 2.5% from two or more races.

There were 194 households of which 41.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.0% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.20.

The median age in the city was 29.4 years. 31.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.8% were from 25 to 44; 19.1% were from 45 to 64; and 10.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.4% male and 48.6% female.

Online Welding Classes

pipe welder at work in Audubon MNWelding is truly a hands-on type of vocation, and for that reason not very compatible with training online. However, there are a small number of online welding classes offered by specific community colleges and trade schools in the greater Audubon MN area that can be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These courses primarily deal with such topics as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help provide a beginner a basis to start their education and training. Nevertheless, the most critical point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials until you actually do it. Naturally 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 seasoned welders that would like to advance their expertise or possibly obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should come across an online welding certificate or degree program, be extremely cautious and make sure that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.

Choose the Ideal Welding Technical Program Audubon MN

Picking the right welding training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any welder training program that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the kind 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 options for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Audubon MN.

 

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