Welding Schools Near Me | How to Become a Welder – Redan GA

How to Find the Right Welding Degree Program near Redan Georgia

Redan GA welding school studentLocating the right welding trade school near Redan GA is an essential first step to starting 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 significantly, once you have fine tuned your alternatives, how do you pick the right one? Many prospective students start by looking at the schools that are closest to their residences. Once they have located those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and tuition cost are necessary concerns when evaluating welder technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before initiating your search for a trade school to become a welder, it’s sensible to develop a list of qualifications that your chosen school must have. But before we examine our due diligence checklist, let’s cover a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welding Certificate and Degree Training

Redan GA welder working on pipingThere are several alternatives available to receive training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can obtain a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are offered in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced programs than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Following are brief explanations of the most prevalent welding programs available in the Redan GA.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally made available by technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They are more hands-on training in scope, fashioned largely to teach welding skills. They can furnish 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 most often 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.

A number of municipalities and states do have licensing requirements for welders, so be sure to check for your location of future employment. As required, the welding school you choose should prep 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 Choices

Redan GA welder working on poleThere are a number of institutions that provide welder certifications, which test the skill level and knowledge of those applying. A large number of Redan GA employers not only require a degree or certificate from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a highly regarded organization like the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are available based upon the kind of work that the welder does. Some of the things that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

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

As formerly mentioned, various states, cities or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those calling for licensing, many also require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a means 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 verify that the welder technical school you decide on preps you for certification as needed.

How to Select a Welding Tech School

Redan GA welder working on carAfter you have chosen the credential you want to obtain, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to evaluate schools. As you probably know, there are many welder trade and technical schools in the Redan GA area. That’s why it’s essential to establish up front what qualifications your selected school must have. We have previously discussed two significant ones that many people look at first, which are location and tuition cost. As stated, although they are very important qualifications, they are not the only ones that need to be looked at. After all, the program you select is going to provide the training that will be the foundation of your new career as a welder. So below are more factors you may need to consider before selecting a welder tech school.

Accreditation. It’s essential that the welder tech school you select is accredited by either a national or a regional organization. There are 2 basic kinds of accreditation. The school may attain Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a specific program the school offers, for example Welding Technology. So verify 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, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, the accreditation might also help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not offered in Redan GA for non-accredited schools. Finally, for those states or local governments that mandate licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited as well.

Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. Many welder degree or diploma programs are provided combined with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will help place you in a job or an apprenticeship upon graduation. Ask if the schools you are looking at assist 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 place their students. More established schools may have a more substantial network of graduates that they can utilize for referrals. These programs can assist students in finding employment and establish relationships within the Redan GA welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an educational program and finish it. It’s essential that the welder school you choose has a high completion rate. A low rate may indicate that the students who enrolled in the program were unhappy with the training, the teachers, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also a good indicator of the caliber of training. A higher job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of Redan GA employer relationships to help students secure apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.

Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. Once you have decreased your choice of welding schools to two or three options, you should think out going to the campuses to look over their facilities. Make sure that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be taught on are modern. Specifically, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be using in the field. If you are not sure what to look for, and are already in an apprenticeship program, ask the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Redan GA welding contractor if they can give you a few suggestions.

School Location. Although we previously briefly discussed the relevance of location, there are a couple of additional issues that we need to address. You should remember that unless you are able to relocate, the welder school you choose must be within commuting distance of your Redan GA home. If you do decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, apart from relocation expenses there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly true for welder degree programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school provides an apprenticeship or job placement program, often their placements are within the school’s regional community. So the location of the school needs to be in a region or state where you subsequently will want to work.

Smaller Classes. Personalized training is important for a manual trade such as welding. It’s possible to be lost in larger classes and not get much individualized instruction. Find out what the usual class size is for the welding schools you are looking at. Inquire if you can attend a couple of classes so that you can experience just how much individual attention the students are receiving. While there, talk with some of the students and get their feedback. Similarly, talk 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 working at their current job. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Redan GA, make sure that the schools you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you choose offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out 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 Redan GA?

Perhaps you live in the Redan 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.

Redan, Georgia

Redan is a census-designated place (CDP) in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 33,015.[3] It is a predominantly African American community in eastern DeKalb County, and is a suburb of Atlanta.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 33,841 people, 11,748 households, and 8,517 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3,542.0 people per square mile (1,368.2/km²). There were 12,106 housing units at an average density of 1,267.1/sq mi (489.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 5.68% White, 91.27% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.78% of the population.

There were 11,748 households out of which 44.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were married couples living together, 24.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 1.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.35.

Online Welder Courses

pipe welder at work in Redan GAWelding is truly a manual type of trade, and consequently not extremely compatible with training online. Having said that, there are a small number of online welding programs offered by specific community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Redan GA area that can be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These courses primarily deal with such subjects as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give a novice a basis to start their training and education. 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 better suited for seasoned welders that would like to advance their knowledge or perhaps attain 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 greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Choose the Ideal Welding Trade School Redan GA

Choosing the ideal welding training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare between the programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any welding school that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers unique options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Redan GA.

 

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