How to Enroll In a Welder Certification Course near West Frankfort Illinois

Choosing the ideal welding school near West Frankfort IL is an essential first step to launching your new career as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to select from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more notably, once you have narrowed down your alternatives, how do you pick the best one? A number of prospective students start by reviewing the schools that are nearest to their homes. When they have found those that are within commuting distance, they are drawn toward the least costly one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are important considerations when evaluating welding vocational schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors 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 develop a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we examine our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welder Certificate and Degree Programs

There are a number of options to receive 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 offered in Welding Engineering or Welding Technology, but are more advanced programs than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available combined with an apprenticeship program. Below are brief summaries of the most prevalent welding programs offered in the West Frankfort IL.

• Certificate and Diploma Programs are normally offered by technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They are more hands-on training in nature, created largely to develop welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or specialized 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 well-rounded education than the certificate or diploma while still supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

Many municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore be sure to check for your location of potential employment. If needed, the welding school you select should prepare you for any licensing examinations that you will have to take in addition to providing the proper training to become a professional welder.

Welding Certification Alternatives

There are multiple organizations that provide welding certifications, which test the skill level and knowledge of those applying. A large number of West Frankfort IL employers not only require a certificate or degree from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a respected organization like the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are offered based upon the kind of work that the welder does. Just some of the skills that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to

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

As formerly mentioned, many states, cities or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those mandating licensing, many also require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a means to demonstrate to employers that you are an extremely skilled and knowledgeable welder. So similarly as with licensing, check the requirements for your local area and make sure that the welder trade school you choose prepares you for certification as needed.

How to Select a Welding Trade School

Once you have chosen the credential you want to obtain, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can begin to compare schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of welder trade and technical schools in the West Frankfort IL area. That’s why it’s important to establish up front what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have previously discussed 2 important ones that many people consider first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As mentioned, although they are very important qualifications, they are not the only ones that must be looked at. After all, the program you choose is going to furnish the training that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So below are some additional factors you may want to consider before selecting a welding tech school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welder vocational school you decide on is accredited by either a regional or a national agency. There are two standard 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 verify that the program you pick is accredited, not just the school alone. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, the accreditation might also assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable in West Frankfort IL for non-accredited schools. Also, for those states or municipalities that require licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited as well.

Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. Numerous welder degree or certificate programs are offered in conjunction 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 help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. The schools must have partnerships with local unions and other metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. Older schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can rely upon for placements. These programs can assist students in finding employment and establish relationships within the West Frankfort IL welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that enroll in an educational program and complete it. It’s important that the welder program you select has a higher completion rate. A reduced rate might indicate that the students who joined the program were dissatisfied with the training, the instructors, or the facilities, and dropped out. The job placement rate is also an indication of the quality of training. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of West Frankfort IL contacts to help students obtain employment or apprenticeships upon graduation.

Modern Facilities and Equipment. Once you have limited your selection of welding schools to two or three possibilities, you should think out going to the campuses to inspect their facilities. Confirm that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are modern. In particular, 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, consult with the master welder you are working under for guidance. If not, ask a local West Frankfort IL welding contractor if they can give you a few suggestions.

School Location. Although we already briefly discussed the relevance of location, there are a few additional points that we should deal with. You should keep in mind that unless you can move, the welding school you pick must be within driving distance of your West Frankfort IL home. If you do opt to attend an out-of-state school, besides moving expenses there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly the case for welding certificate programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school offers 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 an area or state where you subsequently will wish to work.

Small Classes. Personalized instruction is essential for a manual trade such as welding. It’s easy to be lost in bigger classes and not obtain much personalized instruction. Ask what the usual class size is for the welding schools you are reviewing. Inquire if you can sit in on some classes so that you can observe how much individual attention the students are receiving. While there, speak with some of the students and get their feedback. Also, talk with some of the teachers and ask what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.

Convenient Class Schedules. Some people learn a new profession while still employed at their current job. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are considering are convenient enough to satisfy your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near West Frankfort IL, make certain that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only enroll part-time, confirm that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make up classes if you you miss any due to illness, work or family circumstances.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near West Frankfort IL?

Perhaps you live in the West Frankfort Illinois 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 manual type of trade, and for that reason not very compatible with training online. Even so, there are a few online welding courses offered by specific community colleges and technical schools in the greater West Frankfort IL area that may be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These courses primarily cover such topics as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a foundation to initiate their education and training. However, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials until you actually do it. Naturally that can’t be done online. These skills have to be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is more appropriate for experienced welders that want to advance their knowledge or possibly obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should discover an online welding degree or certificate program, be very cautious and confirm that the greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Find the Ideal Welding Trade Program West Frankfort IL

Selecting the ideal welding school will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any welder training that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their personal welding machine to train on. Classroom education should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Each program provides different options for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional welder in West Frankfort IL.