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

How to Choose a Welder Training Program near Union City Georgia

Union City GA welding school studentFinding the ideal welding vocational school near Union City GA is an important first step to beginning 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 importantly, once you have fine tuned your alternatives, how do you pick the right one? Most prospective students begin by reviewing the schools that are closest to their homes. Once they have found those that are within commuting distance, they are drawn toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are important issues when examining welder technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors 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 wise to create a list of qualifications that your chosen school must have. But before we examine our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welder Degree and Certificate Training Classes

Union City GA welder working on pipingThere are multiple options available to obtain training as a welder in a trade or vocational school. You can obtain a a certificate, a diploma 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 made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Below are brief descriptions of the most typical welding programs available in the Union City GA.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are normally made available by trade and technical schools and require about 1 year to complete. They are more hands-on training in scope, fashioned largely to develop welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or supplemental 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 provides a more extensive education than the diploma or certificate while still supplying the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.

A number of states and municipalities do have licensing requirements for welders, so be sure to check for your location of potential employment. As required, the welder school you select should prepare you for any licensing exams that you will have to pass in addition to furnishing the proper training to become a qualified welder.

Welder Certification Alternatives

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

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

As previously mentioned, some 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 prove to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and qualified welder. So similarly as with licensing, check the requirements for your local area and make certain that the welder technical school you decide on prepares you for certification as needed.

How to Decide on a Welding Technical School

Union City GA welder working on carAfter you have chosen the credential you want to earn, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can start to evaluate schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of welder vocational and trade schools in the Union City GA area. That’s why it’s important to determine up front what qualifications your selected school must have. We have previously discussed two important ones that many people consider first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As mentioned, although they are essential qualifications, they are not the only ones that must be considered. After all, the school you choose is going to provide the education that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So following are more factors you may need to consider before selecting a welder vocational school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welding vocational school you decide on is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are 2 basic types of accreditation. The school may attain Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a single program the school offers, for instance Welding Technology. So make sure that the program you choose is accredited, not just the school alone. Additionally, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping ensure that you get a superior education, the accreditation can also help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available in Union City GA 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 Placement Programs. Numerous welder degree or diploma programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Some other schools will help place you in a job or an apprenticeship after graduation. Find out if the schools you are looking at assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. The schools must have partnerships with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. Older schools may have a more substantial network of graduates that they can rely upon for referrals. These programs can assist students in finding employment and establish associations within the Union City GA welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an educational program and finish it. It’s crucial that the welder program you choose has a higher completion rate. A lower rate may indicate that the students who enrolled in the program were dissatisfied with the instruction, the instructors, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also an indication of the quality of training. A higher job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of Union City GA contacts to assist students obtain apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.

Modern Equipment and Facilities. Once you have decreased your selection of welding programs to 2 or 3 possibilities, you should consider visiting the campuses to look over their facilities. Verify that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be taught on are up-to-date. In particular, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be using in the field. 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. If not, ask a local Union City GA welding contractor if they can give you a few suggestions.

School Location. Although we already briefly covered the significance of location, there are a few additional points that we should cover. You should keep in mind that unless you can move, the welder program you pick needs to be within commuting distance of your Union City GA home. If you do opt to attend an out-of-state school, apart from moving costs there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially true for welder certificate programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, 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 needs to be in an area or state where you subsequently will desire to work.

Small Classes. One-on-one instruction is important for a manual trade such as welding. It’s easy to get overlooked in larger classes and not obtain much individualized training. Ask what the typical class size is for the welding programs you are reviewing. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of classes so that you can witness just how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, speak with some of the students and get their opinions. Similarly, talk with some of the teachers and ask what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they have earned.

Flexible Class Schedules. Lots of folks learn a new trade while still employed at their current job. Check to see that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Union City GA, verify that the schools you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make up classes if you you miss any due to work, illness or family circumstances.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Union City GA?

Perhaps you live in the Union City 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.

Union City, Georgia

The current mayor[when?] is Vince Williams, and council members include: Brian Jones, Angelette Mealing, Christina Hobbs, and Shayla Nealy. The City Manager is LaSonja Filliingame and City Clerk is Shandrella Jewett.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.3 square miles (50.0 km2), of which 19.1 square miles (49.5 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km2), or 0.83%, is water.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 19,456 people residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 81.5% Black, 8.6% White, 0.2% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.3% from some other race and 1.6% from two or more races. 7.0% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Online Welding Courses

pipe welder at work in Union City GAWelding is very much a manual type of profession, and consequently not very suitable for online training. However, there are a few online welding programs offered by certain community colleges and trade schools in the greater Union City GA area that can 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 novice a foundation to begin their education and training. However, the most important 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 would like to advance their knowledge or perhaps attain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding certificate or degree program, be extremely cautious and make sure that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.

Select the Right Welding Tech School Union City GA

Selecting the right welding school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare among the programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any welding training that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their personal welding machine to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date 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 certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Each program provides different options for certification also. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Union City GA.

 

The location could not be found.

 

Business Results 1 - 10 of 14

Metal Head Welding and Fabrication
3 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
3686 Meadowview Dr, Atlanta, GA 30122

Martin Welding Company
3 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
536 Edgewood Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30312

Silvasons Machine Shop
4 Reviews
Metal Fabricators, Machine Shops
Phone:
840 Great Sw Pkwy SW, Atlanta, GA 30336

AM/PM Road Service
1 Reviews
Trailer Repair, Commercial Truck Repair, Tires
Phone:
54 Southside Industrial Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30354

Action Fenceworks
2 Reviews
Fences & Gates
Phone:
Hiram, GA 30141

UBI Welders
2 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
1660-B Huntingdon Tr, Atlanta, GA 30350

Circle A Fences
3 Reviews
Fences & Gates
Phone:
1589 W Booth Rd Ext SW, Marietta, GA 30008

Eighty-Ninety Gear & Off-Road
1 Reviews
Auto Repair, Metal Fabricators
Phone:
3790 Highway 92, Ste 210, Acworth, GA 30102

Summit Fence
17 Reviews
Fences & Gates
Phone:
5522 Glade Rd SE, Acworth, GA 30102

Fletcher's Welding & Muffler Shop
2 Reviews
Phone:
32 Franklin Rd, Newnan, GA 30263