How to Pick a Welder Degree Program near Lithonia Georgia

Finding the ideal welding technical school near Lithonia GA is an important first step to beginning your new career 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 notably, once you have narrowed down your options, how do you pick the right one? Most prospective students start by reviewing the schools that are nearest to their homes. When they have identified those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are necessary concerns when reviewing welding technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before initiating your search for a trade school to become a welder, it’s sensible 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

There are multiple options available to get training as a welder in a trade or vocational school. You can receive a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Below are short explanations of the most common welding programs offered in the Lithonia GA.

• Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally made available by technical and trade schools and require about one year to finish. 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 additional 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 well-rounded education than the certificate or diploma while still providing the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

Some municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore don’t forget to find out for your location of future employment. If required, the welding school you pick should ready you for any licensing examinations that you will need to pass in addition to furnishing the proper training to become a professional welder.

Welding Certification Choices

There are various organizations that offer welding certifications, which evaluate the skill level and knowledge of those applying. Numerous Lithonia GA employers not only expect a degree or certificate from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a renowned agency like the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are offered dependent on the type of work that the welder does. A few of the skills that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to

• Work in compliance with specific codes
• Work with specific metal thicknesses
• Work with certain types of welds
• Operate based on contract specifications

As earlier mentioned, many states, cities or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those mandating licensing, a number also require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a way to demonstrate to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and qualified welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and make certain that the welder vocational school you choose readies you for certification if needed.

How to Pick a Welding Vocational School

When you have decided on the credential you want to obtain, 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 Lithonia GA area. That’s why it’s important to decide in advance what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have already discussed two important 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 need to be considered. After all, the school you choose is going to provide the instruction that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So following are some additional factors you may need to evaluate before selecting a welder tech school.

Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welding vocational school you select is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are two basic kinds of accreditation. The school may earn Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on an individual program the school offers, for instance Welding Technology. So make sure that the program you select is accredited, not just the school itself. Additionally, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping ensure that you get a quality education, the accreditation might also help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable in Lithonia GA for schools that are not accredited. Finally, for those states or local governments that mandate licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited also.

Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. A large number of welding diploma or degree programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Other schools will assist in placing you in an apprenticeship or a job after graduation. Find out if the schools you are considering help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. The schools should have associations with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. Older schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can utilize for placements. These programs can help students find employment and establish associations within the Lithonia GA welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that enroll in an academic program and finish it. It’s essential that the welder school you pick has a higher completion rate. A reduced rate may mean that the students who enrolled in the program were dissatisfied 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 higher job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Lithonia GA employer relationships to assist students secure apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.

Modern Facilities and Equipment. Once you have decreased 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 instructed on are modern. In particular, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be working with in the field. If you are not sure 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 Lithonia GA welding professional if they can give you some suggestions.

School Location. Although we previously briefly covered the significance of location, there are a couple of additional points that we need to address. You should keep in mind that unless you have the ability to move, the welding program you pick needs to be within commuting distance of your Lithonia GA home. If you do opt to attend an out-of-state school, apart from relocation expenses there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially true for welder degree programs offered by community colleges. Also, if the school provides 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 subsequently will wish to work.

Smaller Classes. One-on-one instruction is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to be lost in larger classes and not obtain much one-on-one instruction. Find out what the typical class size is for the welding schools you are looking at. Ask if you can sit in on a few classes so that you can witness how much individual attention the students are receiving. While there, talk with several of the students and get their evaluations. Also, talk to a few of the teachers and ask what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they have earned.

Convenient Class Schedules. Some people learn a new trade while still employed at their present job. Check to see that the class schedules for the programs you are looking at are convenient enough to satisfy your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Lithonia GA, make sure that the schools you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out 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 Lithonia GA?

Perhaps you live in the Lithonia 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 Training Programs

Welding is truly a hands-on kind of vocation, and consequently not very compatible with online training. However, there are a small number of online welding programs offered by various community colleges and trade schools in the greater Lithonia GA area that can be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These classes primarily cover such topics as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give a novice a basis to begin their education and training. However, 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 accomplished 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 want to advance their knowledge or possibly earn a more advanced degree. So if you should find 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.

Find the Best Welding Vocational School Lithonia GA

Picking the best welding school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare between the programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any welder training that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you pick is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional welder in Lithonia GA.