How to Select a Welder Degree Program near Wheeling Illinois
Selecting the right welding technical school near Wheeling IL is an important first step to beginning your new career as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to select from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have fine tuned your options, how do you pick the right one? A number of people begin by reviewing the schools that are nearest to their residences. When they have identified those that are within driving distance, they gravitate toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are important issues when examining welder trade 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 prudent 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 Programs
There are a number of options to receive training as a welder in a technical or trade 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 offered along with an apprenticeship program. Following are brief summaries of the most common welding programs available in the Wheeling IL.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by trade and technical schools and take about 1 year to finish. They are more hands-on training in scope, created primarily 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 2 years to finish and are most often offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology provides a more well-rounded education than the diploma or certificate while still supplying the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.
Some municipalities and states do have licensing requirements for welders, therefore be sure to check for your location of potential employment. As required, the welder school you choose should ready you for any licensing examinations that you will need to pass in addition to furnishing the appropriate training to become a professional welder.
Welding Certification Choices
There are multiple organizations that provide welding certifications, which evaluate the knowledge and skill level of those applying. A large number of Wheeling IL employers not only expect a degree or certificate from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a respected agency like the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are available based upon the kind of work that the welder performs. Some of the skills 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 kinds of welds
- Work according to contract specifications
As already stated, some cities, states or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those mandating licensing, some additionally require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a means to prove to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and experienced welder. So similarly as with licensing, check the requirements for your location and verify that the welder vocational school you select prepares you for certification if needed.
How to Choose a Welder Technical Program
Once you have chosen the credential you want to attain, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to assess schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of welder trade and vocational schools in the Wheeling IL area. That’s why it’s important to establish in advance what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have previously discussed a couple of significant ones that most people look at first, which are location and tuition cost. As stated, although they are essential qualifications, they are not the only ones that should be looked at. After all, the program you select is going to furnish the instruction 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 welding trade school.
Accreditation. It’s very important that the welding technical school you decide on is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are 2 basic kinds of accreditation. The school may earn Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a specific program the school offers, for instance Welding Technology. So make sure that the program you choose is accredited, not just the school itself. Additionally, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, 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 obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available in Wheeling IL for non-accredited schools. Finally, for those states or municipalities that require licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited also.
Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. Many welder degree or certificate programs are provided combined with an apprenticeship program. Other schools will help place you in a job or an apprenticeship upon graduation. Ask if the schools you are looking at help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. The schools must have partnerships with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. More established schools may have a more substantial network of graduates that they can rely upon for placements. These programs can assist students in finding employment and establish associations within the Wheeling IL welding community.
Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that start an instructional program and complete it. It’s important that the welder program you choose has a high completion rate. A reduced rate could indicate that the students who were in 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 caliber of training. A higher job placement rate will not only affirm that the program has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of Wheeling IL employer relationships to assist students obtain employment or apprenticeships upon graduation.
Up-to-date Equipment and Facilities. Once you have decreased your selection of welding programs to two or three options, you should consider going to the campuses to inspect their facilities. Confirm that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be instructed on are modern. Specifically, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be using on the job. If you are not sure what to look for, and are currently in an apprenticeship program, consult with the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Wheeling IL welding contractor if they can give you a few pointers.
School Location. Even though we previously briefly discussed the relevance of location, there are a few additional points that we should address. You should keep in mind that unless you can move, the welder school you choose must be within commuting distance of your Wheeling IL home. If you do opt to attend an out-of-state school, apart from moving expenses there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially true for welder degree programs offered by community colleges. Additionally, 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 ultimately will want to work.
Small Classes. Personalized instruction is essential for a manual trade such as welding. It’s possible to get overlooked in larger classes and not obtain much one-on-one instruction. Find out what the usual class size is for the welding programs you are reviewing. Inquire if you can sit in on some classes so that you can witness just how much individual attention the students are receiving. While there, talk with a few of the students and get their feedback. Also, talk with some of the instructors and find out what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they have earned.
Convenient Class Schedules. Many people learn a new profession while still employed at their current job. Check to see that the class schedules for the programs you are looking at are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Wheeling IL, make certain that the schools you are considering offer those options. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, confirm that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the protocol is to make up classes should you miss any because of illness, work or family emergencies.
Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Wheeling IL?
Perhaps you live in the Wheeling 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.
Wheeling, Illinois
Wheeling is a village in Cook and Lake counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. A suburb of Chicago, it is primarily in Cook County, approximately 23 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. The population was 37,648 at the 2010 census.[3] Wheeling is named for Wheeling, WV.[4]
According to the 2010 census, the village has a total area of 8.74 square miles (22.6 km2), of which 8.74 square miles (22.6 km2) (or 97.26%) is land and 0.24 square miles (0.62 km2) (or 2.74%) is water.[6]
As of the census[8] of 2010, there were 34,496 people, 13,280 households, and 8,459 families residing in the village. The population density was 4,106.5 people per square mile (1,585.6/km²). There were 13,697 housing units at an average density of 1,630.5 per square mile (629.6/km²). The racial make-up of the village was 76.68% White, 2.44% African American, 0.23% Native American, 9.26% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 9.18% from other races, and 2.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.68% of the population.
Online Welding Training
Welding is very much a manual kind of profession, and therefore not very compatible with online training. Having said that, there are a few online welding classes offered by various community colleges and trade schools in the greater Wheeling IL area that can be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These classes primarily deal with such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a foundation to start their education and training. Nevertheless, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or handle welding materials unless you actually do it. Naturally that can’t be accomplished online. These skills must be learned in an on-campus setting or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is better suited for seasoned welders that desire to advance their knowledge or possibly attain a more advanced degree. So if you should come across an online welding certificate or degree program, be extremely careful and verify that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.
Find the Best Welding Technical Program Wheeling IL
Picking the ideal welder training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare among the programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any welding training program that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their personal welding machine to train on. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each training program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional welder in Wheeling IL.
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