How to Choose a Welding Certificate Program near Kaunakakai Hawaii

Enrolling in the ideal welding trade school near Kaunakakai HI 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 know which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have fine tuned your choices, how do you pick the right one? A number of people start by checking out the schools that are closest to their homes. When they have found those that are within commuting distance, they are drawn toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are crucial considerations when reviewing welding vocational schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns 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 wise to develop a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we explore our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welding Degree and Certificate Programs

There are several options available to get training as a welder in a trade or technical 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 degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered along with an apprenticeship program. Following are short explanations of the most common welding programs offered in the Kaunakakai HI.

• Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by trade and technical schools and take about one year to complete. They are more hands-on training in nature, designed primarily to develop welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or additional skills for working welders.
• Associate Degree Programs will take two 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 providing the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

Some states and municipalities do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore be sure to find out for your location of potential employment. If required, the welder school you pick should prep you for any licensing examinations that you will need to take in addition to supplying the appropriate training to become a professional welder.

Welder Certification Alternatives

There are several institutions that provide welder certifications, which evaluate the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Numerous Kaunakakai HI employers not only expect a certificate or degree from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a renowned organization such as the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are offered dependent on the type of work that the welder does. Just some 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 specific types of welds
• Work based on contract specifications

As already mentioned, some cities, states or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those mandating licensing, a number additionally require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a means to demonstrate to employers that you are a highly skilled and experienced welder. So just as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and verify that the welder technical school you select preps you for certification as needed.

How to Pick a Welding Trade Program

When you have chosen the credential you would like to earn, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can begin to compare schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous welder trade and vocational schools in the Kaunakakai HI area. That’s why it’s important to determine up front what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have previously covered a couple of important ones that many people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. As stated, although they are very important qualifiers, they are not the only ones that must be looked at. After all, the program you pick is going to provide the training that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So following are more factors you may want to evaluate before selecting a welding vocational school.

Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welder vocational school you decide on is accredited by either a regional or a national organization. There are two basic kinds 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, for example Welding Technology. So make sure that the program you select is accredited, not just the school itself. 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). In addition to helping make sure that you receive an excellent education, the accreditation can also assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not offered in Kaunakakai HI 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 Placement Programs. A large number of welder diploma or degree programs are provided combined with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will assist in placing you in an apprenticeship or a job after graduation. Find out if the schools you are reviewing assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. The schools should have partnerships with local unions and other 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 placements. These programs can assist students in finding employment and develop relationships within the Kaunakakai HI welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that begin an educational program and complete it. It’s important that the welding program you choose has a higher completion rate. A low rate could signify that the students who were in the program were unhappy with the training, the instructors, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also a good indicator of the caliber of training. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the program has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Kaunakakai HI contacts to help students secure apprenticeships or employment after graduation.

Up-to-date Equipment and Facilities. After you have narrowed down your choice of welder programs to 2 or 3 options, you should think out going to the campuses to inspect their facilities. Confirm that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be instructed on are up-to-date. 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 already in an apprenticeship program, consult with the master welder you are working under for guidance. If not, ask a local Kaunakakai HI welding contractor if they can give you a few pointers.

School Location. Although we previously briefly covered the importance of location, there are a few additional issues that we should address. You should remember that unless you are able to relocate, the welder program you choose must be within driving distance of your Kaunakakai HI home. If you do choose to attend an out-of-state school, besides moving expenses there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially true for welding degree programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school offers an apprenticeship or job placement 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 ultimately will wish to work.

Small Classes. Personalized training is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to get overlooked in bigger 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 sit in on a couple of classes so that you can witness how much individual attention the students are getting. While there, talk with several of the students and get their feedback. Similarly, speak with a couple of the teachers and ask what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they hold.

Convenient Class Scheduling. Lots of folks learn a new trade while still employed at their present job. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Kaunakakai HI, make certain that the schools you are looking at offer those alternatives. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family circumstances.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Kaunakakai HI?

Perhaps you live in the Kaunakakai Hawaii 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 Degree and Certificate Programs

Welding is very much a manual kind of vocation, and therefore not extremely compatible with online training. However, there are a small number of online welding programs offered by various community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Kaunakakai HI area that may count toward a degree or certificate program. These courses primarily deal with such topics as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a foundation to initiate their training and education. However, the most critical 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 have to be learned in an on-campus setting or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is more appropriate for experienced welders that want to advance their expertise or perhaps earn a more advanced degree. So if you should come across an online welding degree or certificate program, be extremely cautious and confirm that the larger part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Pick the Ideal Welding Vocational School Kaunakakai HI

Choosing the right welder training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any welding training that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their personal welding machine to train on. Classroom education should offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides different options for certification as well. Probably The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to check out 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 sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional welder in Kaunakakai HI.