How to Find the Right Welding Degree Program near Buford Georgia

Enrolling in the right welding school near Buford GA is an important first step to beginning your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to pick from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you pick the right one? Most prospective students start by looking at the schools that are nearest to their homes. When they have located those that are within driving distance, they are drawn toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are crucial issues when examining welding technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other considerations include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before beginning your search for a vocational school to become a welder, it’s prudent 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.

Welder Degree and Certificate Training Classes

There are a number of alternatives available to get training as a welder in a trade or vocational school. You can receive 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 descriptions of the most prevalent welding programs available in the Buford GA.

• Certificate and Diploma Programs are normally made available by technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They are more hands-on training in nature, created largely to develop welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or supplemental skills for experienced welders.
• Associate Degree Programs will take 2 years to finish and are usually offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology furnishes a more extensive education than the certificate or diploma while still supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

A number of states and municipalities do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore don’t forget to check for your location of potential employment. If required, the welding school you choose should prep you for any licensing exams that you will need to take in addition to providing the appropriate training to become a professional welder.

Welder Certification Options

There are various organizations that offer welding certifications, which evaluate the skill level and knowledge of those applying. Numerous Buford GA employers not only demand a degree or certificate from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a respected organization like the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are offered based on the type 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 certain metal thicknesses
• Work with various kinds of welds
• Operate according to contract specifications

As formerly stated, many cities, states or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those mandating licensing, some also require certification for different types 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, look into the requirements for your location and verify that the welding technical school you choose preps you for certification if needed.

How to Select a Welding Trade Program

As soon as you have decided on the credential you want to earn, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to assess schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are many welder trade and technical schools in the Buford GA area. That’s why it’s important to decide up front what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have previously covered a couple of significant ones that most 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 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 vocation as a welder. So following are more factors you may need to consider before picking a welding tech school.

Accreditation. It’s essential that the welding vocational school you choose is accredited by either a regional or a national agency. There are 2 basic 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 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 recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, the accreditation might also assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available in Buford 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 also.

Apprenticeship and Job Placement Programs. Numerous welder degree or diploma programs are provided in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Various 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 placement program. These schools must have partnerships with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can place their students. Older schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can rely upon for referrals. These programs can assist students in finding employment and develop associations within the Buford GA welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that enroll in an academic program and finish it. It’s important that the welder program you choose has a high completion rate. A lower rate could indicate that the students who enrolled in the program were dissatisfied with the training, the teachers, 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 affirm that the program has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of Buford GA employer relationships to help students obtain employment or apprenticeships upon graduation.

Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. Once you have narrowed down your selection of welder schools to two or three possibilities, you should think out going to the campuses to look over their facilities. Verify that both the facilities and the equipment 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. If not, ask a local Buford GA welding professional if they can give you a few tips.

School Location. Even though we previously briefly covered the importance of location, there are a couple of additional points that we should address. You should bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the welder program you choose needs to be within commuting distance of your Buford GA home. If you do decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, apart from relocation expenses there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially the case for welding certificate programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school provides a job placement or apprenticeship program, more than likely their placements are within the school’s regional community. So the location of the school should be in an area or state where you ultimately will desire to work.

Smaller Classes. Individualized training is essential for a manual trade such as welding. It’s possible to be lost in bigger classes and not obtain much individualized instruction. Find out what the average class size is for the welder programs you are considering. Ask if you can sit in on some classes so that you can experience just how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, talk with some of the students and get their feedback. Similarly, talk to some of the teachers and find out what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they have earned.

Convenient Class Scheduling. Many people learn a new profession while still working at their present job. Check to see that the class schedules for the schools you are considering are convenient enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Buford GA, verify that the schools you are considering provide those alternatives. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you choose offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see 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 Buford GA?

Perhaps you live in the Buford 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.

Online Welder Courses

Welding is very much a manual kind of trade, and consequently not extremely suitable for online training. Even so, there are a small number of online welding courses offered by various community colleges and technical schools in the greater Buford GA area that may be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These classes mainly deal with such topics as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give a novice a basis to start their training and education. Nevertheless, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials until you actually do it. Clearly that can’t be done online. These skills need to be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is better suited for seasoned welders that desire to advance their expertise or possibly obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should discover an online welding degree or certificate program, be very careful and confirm that the greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Choose the Best Welding Technical School Buford GA

Selecting the right welding school will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any welding training that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their personal welding machine to train on. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably the best way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional welder in Buford GA.