How to Pick a Welder Certification Class near Chickamauga Georgia

Enrolling in the ideal welding school near Chickamauga GA is an important first step to launching your new career as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to choose from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more significantly, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you select the right one? Many people begin by checking out the schools that are nearest to their residences. Once they have found those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and tuition cost are necessary considerations when examining welding vocational schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before starting 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 delve into our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welder Degree and Certificate Training

There are a number of options available to obtain training as a welder in a technical or trade school. You can earn a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Engineering or Welding Technology, but are more advanced degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available along with an apprenticeship program. Following are brief summaries of the most prevalent welding programs available in the Chickamauga GA.

• Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by technical and trade schools and require about one year to complete. They are more hands-on training in scope, designed mainly 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 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 readies students to enter the workforce.

A number of states and municipalities do have licensing prerequisites for welders, so don’t forget to find out for your location of future employment. If required, the welding school you pick should prepare you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to providing the proper training to become a professional welder.

Welding Certification Options

There are multiple organizations that provide welder certifications, which assess the skill level and knowledge of those applying. Numerous Chickamauga GA employers not only demand a certificate or degree from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a highly regarded organization like the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are available based upon the kind of work that the welder performs. Some of the things that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

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

As already stated, various cities, states or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those requiring licensing, a number also require certification for different types of work. Certification is also a way to prove to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and qualified welder. So similarly as with licensing, check the requirements for your location and confirm that the welder trade school you choose readies you for certification if needed.

How to Pick a Welding Trade Program

When you have chosen the credential you would like to attain, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to compare schools. As you can imagine, there are a large number of welding trade and technical schools in the Chickamauga GA area. That’s why it’s important to establish in advance what qualifications your selected school must have. We have already discussed a couple of significant ones that many people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. As mentioned, although they are very important qualifications, they are not the only ones that must be looked at. After all, the school you pick is going to provide the education that will be the foundation of your new career as a welder. So following are more factors you may want to consider before selecting 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 organization. There are two 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, such as Welding Technology. So confirm 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 organization, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping make sure that you obtain an excellent education, the accreditation might also help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not offered in Chickamauga GA for schools that are not accredited. Also, for those states or municipalities that mandate licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited also.

Apprenticeship and Job Placement Programs. Many welding diploma or degree programs are provided in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Other schools will assist in placing you in a job or an apprenticeship upon graduation. Ask if the schools you are reviewing help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. These schools must have associations 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 utilize for referrals. These programs can help students find employment and establish associations within the Chickamauga GA welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that begin an instructional program and complete it. It’s essential that the welding school you choose has a higher completion rate. A lower rate might indicate that the students who were in the program were unhappy with the instruction, the instructors, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also a good indicator 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 Chickamauga GA employer relationships to help students obtain apprenticeships or employment after graduation.

Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. After you have limited your selection of welder programs to two or three options, you should think out going to the campuses to look over their facilities. Confirm that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be trained on are up-to-date. Specifically, 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 Chickamauga GA welding professional if they can give you some suggestions.

School Location. Although we already briefly discussed the relevance of location, there are a few additional issues that we should address. You should keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the welder program you choose needs to be within commuting distance of your Chickamauga GA home. If you do choose 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 particularly the case for welder diploma programs offered by community colleges. Additionally, if the school offers a job placement or apprenticeship program, most 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 want to work.

Smaller Classes. Personalized training is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to be overlooked in larger classes and not get much individualized instruction. Find out what the usual class size is for the welding schools you are reviewing. Inquire if you can attend a few classes so that you can see how much personal 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 instructors and ask what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they have earned.

Flexible Class Scheduling. Many people learn a new trade while still working at their current job. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are considering are convenient enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Chickamauga GA, verify that the schools you are considering provide those alternatives. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, make sure 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 illness, work or family circumstances.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Chickamauga GA?

Perhaps you live in the Chickamauga 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 Welding Courses

Welding is truly a hands-on kind of profession, and therefore not extremely suitable for online training. However, there are a small number of online welding courses offered by specific community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Chickamauga GA area that may be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These courses mainly deal with such subjects as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a basis to begin 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. Obviously that can’t be performed online. These skills have 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 knowledge or perhaps earn a more advanced degree. So if you should discover an online welding degree or certificate program, be extremely careful and confirm that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Pick the Ideal Welding Vocational School Chickamauga GA

Picking the right welding school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any welder training program that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each program provides unique options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Chickamauga GA.