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

How to Select a Welding Trade School near Milford Michigan

Milford MI welding school studentEnrolling in the ideal welder technical school near Milford MI is an essential first step to starting your new career as a professional welder. But since there are numerous schools to pick from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more significantly, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you select the best one? A number of prospective students start by reviewing the schools that are closest to their homes. When they have located those that are within driving distance, they gravitate toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and tuition cost are crucial concerns when reviewing welding technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before initiating your search for a vocational school to become a welder, it’s wise to develop a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we explore our due diligence checklist, let’s cover a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welding Degree and Certificate Training

Milford MI welder working on pipingThere are a number of options available to get training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can earn a diploma, a certificate 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 offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Following are brief explanations of the most prevalent welding programs offered in the Milford MI.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by trade and technical schools and take about one year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, designed primarily to develop welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or specialized skills for working 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 well-rounded education than the certificate or diploma while still furnishing the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

Many states and municipalities do have licensing requirements for welders, therefore be sure to find out for your location of potential employment. As required, the welder school you choose should prepare you for any licensing exams that you will have to pass in addition to providing the proper training to become a qualified welder.

Welder Certification Options

Milford MI welder working on poleThere are a number of organizations that offer welding certifications, which test the skill level and knowledge of those applying. Many Milford MI employers not only require a degree or certificate from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a renowned organization such as the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are offered based upon the kind of work that the welder does. A few 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 various kinds of welds
  • Operate according to contract specifications

As earlier mentioned, some cities, states or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those requiring licensing, many additionally require certification for various types of work. Certification is also a means to prove to employers that you are a highly skilled and knowledgeable welder. So just as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and make certain that the welder tech school you select preps you for certification if needed.

How to Decide on a Welding Technical School

Milford MI welder working on carAfter you have chosen the credential you would like to obtain, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to evaluate schools. As you probably know, there are a large number of welder trade and vocational schools in the Milford MI area. That’s why it’s essential to decide up front what qualifications your selected school must have. We have already discussed 2 significant ones that most people look at first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As mentioned, although they are essential qualifications, they are not the only ones that need to be looked at. After all, the program you decide on is going to provide the instruction that will be the foundation of your new career as a welder. So following are some additional factors you may want to consider before picking a welding trade school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welding tech school you pick is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are two standard types of accreditation. The school may attain 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 certain that the program you choose is accredited, not just the school alone. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping make sure that you receive a superior education, the accreditation might also assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable in Milford 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.

Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. Numerous welding degree or certificate programs are provided in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will assist in placing you in an apprenticeship or a job upon graduation. Find out if the schools you are looking at help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. The schools must have relationships with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. More established schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can rely upon for referrals. These programs can assist students in finding employment and establish associations within the Milford MI 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 essential that the welding school you choose has a high completion rate. A reduced rate may mean that the students who enrolled in the program were unhappy 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 program has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Milford MI employer relationships to help students secure apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.

Up-to-date Equipment and Facilities. After you have limited your choice of welding schools to 2 or 3 possibilities, you should think out visiting the campuses to inspect their facilities. Verify that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be instructed on are up-to-date. Specifically, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be using on the job. If you are unsure what to look for, and are currently in an apprenticeship program, ask the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Milford MI welding contractor if they can give you a few suggestions.

School Location. Even though we already briefly discussed the relevance of location, there are a few additional points that we should address. You should keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the welding school you select needs to be within driving distance of your Milford MI home. If you do choose to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation expenses there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly true for welding degree programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school offers an apprenticeship or job placement program, often their placements are within the school’s local community. So the location of the school should be in a region or state where you subsequently will desire to work.

Small Classes. One-on-one instruction is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to get overlooked in bigger classes and not receive much personalized instruction. Find out what the typical class size is for the welding programs you are considering. Ask if you can attend a few classes so that you can see how much individual attention the students are getting. While there, speak with several of the students and get their feedback. Also, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they hold.

Flexible Class Schedules. Some people learn a new profession while still employed at their current job. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Milford MI, make sure that the schools you are considering provide those alternatives. If you can only enroll part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the policy is to make up classes if you you miss any due to work, illness or family circumstances.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Milford MI?

Perhaps you live in the Milford 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.

Milford, Michigan

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.52 square miles (6.53 km2), of which 2.43 square miles (6.29 km2) is land and 0.09 square miles (0.23 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 6,175 people, 2,589 households, and 1,719 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,541.2 inhabitants per square mile (981.2/km2). There were 2,777 housing units at an average density of 1,142.8 per square mile (441.2/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 95.7% White, 0.6% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population.

There were 2,589 households of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.6% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.93.

Online Welding Certificate and Degree Programs

pipe welder at work in Milford MIWelding is very much a manual type of vocation, and for that reason not extremely compatible with training online. Even so, there are some online welding classes offered by various community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Milford MI area that may be credited toward a certificate or degree program. These courses primarily cover such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a basis to start their education and training. However, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials unless you actually do it. Naturally that can’t be performed 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 knowledge or perhaps attain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding degree or certificate program, be extremely careful and make certain that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Pick the Ideal Welding Vocational Program Milford MI

Choosing the right welder school will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare among the programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any welder school that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own welding machine to train on. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal way to research your final 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. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional welder in Milford MI.

 

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