How to Choose a Welding Technical School near Colwich Kansas

Enrolling in the ideal welder technical school near Colwich KS is an essential first step to launching your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to pick from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more significantly, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you pick the right one? Many prospective students start by checking out the schools that are nearest to their homes. Once they have located 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 concerns 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 sensible to create a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we delve into our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welding Certificate and Degree Training

There are a number of alternatives available to receive training as a welder in a technical or trade school. You can receive a a certificate, a diploma or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are offered in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available along with an apprenticeship program. Following are brief descriptions of the most common welding programs available in the Colwich KS.

• Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually made available by trade and technical schools and require about one year to complete. They are more hands-on training in nature, created largely to teach 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 2 years to finish 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 supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

Some municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, so don’t forget to find out for your location of future employment. As needed, the welding school you pick should ready you for any licensing exams that you will need to pass in addition to providing the suitable training to become a professional welder.

Welder Certification Choices

There are various institutions that offer welding certifications, which test the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Numerous Colwich KS employers not only require a certificate or degree from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a respected organization such as the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are available based upon the type of work that the welder does. Just some of the things that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

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

As already stated, some cities, states or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those mandating licensing, some also require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a means to demonstrate to employers that you are a highly skilled and knowledgeable welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your location and confirm that the welder trade school you select prepares you for certification if needed.

How to Select a Welding Vocational Program

After you have decided on the credential you would like to obtain, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to assess schools. As you can imagine, there are numerous welding trade and technical schools in the Colwich KS area. That’s why it’s important to determine up front what qualifications your selected school must have. We have already covered 2 important ones that many people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. 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 provide the training that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So below are more factors you might need to evaluate before selecting a welding tech school.

Accreditation. It’s essential that the welder technical school you select is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are 2 standard 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 make certain that the program you select 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). Besides helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, the accreditation can also help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available in Colwich KS for non-accredited schools. Also, for those states or municipalities that mandate licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited also.

Apprenticeship and Job Placement Programs. Numerous welding degree or certificate programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will help place you in an apprenticeship or a job upon graduation. Find out if the schools you are considering assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. The schools must have partnerships with local unions and other 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 help students find employment and develop associations within the Colwich KS welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that start an instructional program and finish it. It’s important that the welding school you choose has a high completion rate. A reduced rate might signify that the students who were in the program were unhappy with the instruction, the instructors, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also a good indicator of the quality of training. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the program has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Colwich KS contacts to assist students secure employment or apprenticeships after graduation.

Modern Equipment and Facilities. Once you have limited your choice of welding programs to two or three options, you should think out going to the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Verify that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be taught on are modern. Specifically, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be working with in the field. If you are uncertain what to look for, and are already in an apprenticeship program, ask the master welder you are working under for guidance. If not, ask a local Colwich KS welding professional if they can give you a few suggestions.

School Location. Even though we already briefly discussed the significance of location, there are a couple of additional issues that we should address. You should keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the welding program you choose must be within commuting distance of your Colwich KS home. If you do opt to attend an out-of-state school, apart from relocation expenses there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially the case for welder certificate 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 local community. So the location of the school should be in an area 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 get overlooked in bigger classes and not get much individualized training. Find out what the typical class size is for the welding schools you are looking at. Ask if you can sit in on a few classes so that you can observe how much personal attention the students are receiving. While there, talk with several of the students and get their feedback. Also, speak with a few of the instructors and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.

Flexible Class Scheduling. Lots of folks learn a new profession while still working at their current job. Check to see that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are convenient enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Colwich KS, make sure that the schools you are reviewing provide those alternatives. If you can only enroll part-time, verify that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Colwich KS?

Perhaps you live in the Colwich Kansas 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 Schools

Welding is very much a hands-on kind of trade, and for that reason not very suitable for online training. Having said that, there are some online welding classes offered by specific community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Colwich KS area that may count toward a certificate or degree program. These classes primarily cover such topics as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a foundation to initiate their training and education. However, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials until you actually do it. Clearly 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 more appropriate for experienced welders that desire to advance their expertise or possibly obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should come across an online welding certificate or degree program, be extremely cautious and make certain that the greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Select the Right Welding Technical Program Colwich KS

Picking the ideal welder school will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare among the programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any welder training that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own welding machine to train on. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each training program offers different options for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new trade as a professional welder in Colwich KS.