How to Choose a Welder Training Program near Taylorsville Kentucky
Choosing the right welder trade school near Taylorsville KY is an essential first step to beginning your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to select from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more notably, once you have narrowed down your options, how do you select the best one? A number of people begin by reviewing the schools that are nearest to their residences. Once they have located those that are within driving distance, they gravitate toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and tuition cost are necessary concerns when examining welder technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before initiating 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 explore our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.
Welder Degree and Certificate Training Classes
There are several options available to receive training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can receive a diploma, a certificate 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 combined with an apprenticeship program. Below are short descriptions of the most typical welding programs offered in the Taylorsville KY.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually made available by trade and technical schools and take about 1 year to complete. They are more hands-on training in scope, designed 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 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 diploma or certificate while still furnishing the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.
Some states and municipalities do have licensing requirements for welders, therefore don’t forget to find out for your location of potential employment. If needed, the welder school you select should prepare you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to providing the appropriate training to become a qualified welder.
Welding Certification Choices
There are multiple institutions that offer welder certifications, which assess the skill level and knowledge of those applying. Many Taylorsville KY employers not only expect a degree or certificate 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 kind of work that the welder does. Just some of the skills that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to
- Work in compliance with specific codes
- Work with certain metal thicknesses
- Work with specific kinds of welds
- Work in compliance with contract specifications
As already stated, many cities, states or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those calling for licensing, many additionally require certification for different types 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, look into the requirements for your local area and make sure that the welder tech school you select preps you for certification if needed.
How to Decide on a Welding Tech Program
Once you have decided on the credential you want to earn, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to evaluate schools. As you can imagine, there are a large number of welder vocational and trade schools in the Taylorsville KY area. That’s why it’s essential to determine in advance what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have previously discussed a couple of important ones that most people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. As stated, although they are very important qualifiers, they are not the only ones that need to be looked at. After all, the program you select is going to provide the education that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So below are more factors you might want to consider before selecting a welding technical school.
Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welding trade school you decide on is accredited by either a national or a regional 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 specific program the school offers, such as Welding Technology. So make certain that the program you choose is accredited, not just the school alone. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, the accreditation can also help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not offered in Taylorsville KY for non-accredited schools. Finally, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited also.
Job Placement and Apprenticeship Programs. Many welding diploma or degree programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will help place you in a job or an apprenticeship after graduation. Ask if the schools you are reviewing help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. The schools should have relationships with local unions and other metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. Older schools may have a more substantial network of graduates that they can utilize for placements. These programs can help students find employment and establish relationships within the Taylorsville KY welding community.
Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an instructional program and finish it. It’s important that the welder school you select has a high completion rate. A reduced rate may signify that the students who joined the program were dissatisfied with the instruction, the instructors, or the facilities, and dropped out. The job placement rate is also an indication of the caliber of training. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the program has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Taylorsville KY contacts to help students secure apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.
Modern Facilities and Equipment. Once you have narrowed down your choice of welding schools to two or three possibilities, you should consider visiting the campuses to inspect their facilities. Confirm that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be taught on are modern. In particular, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be working with on the job. If you are unsure 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 Taylorsville KY welding contractor if they can give you some pointers.
School Location. Although we previously briefly covered the significance of location, there are a couple of additional points that we need to address. You should keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the welder school you select needs to be within driving distance of your Taylorsville KY home. If you do decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides relocation 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 desire to work.
Smaller Classes. One-on-one training is important for a manual trade such as welding. It’s possible to get overlooked in bigger classes and not obtain much one-on-one instruction. Find out what the usual class size is for the welder schools you are considering. Inquire if you can sit in on a couple of classes so that you can experience just how much individual attention the students are receiving. While there, talk with a few of the students and get their opinions. Similarly, speak with a few of the instructors and ask what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they have earned.
Flexible Class Schedules. Lots of folks learn a new profession while still employed at their current job. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to satisfy your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Taylorsville KY, make sure that the schools you are assessing provide those alternatives. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the policy is to make up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family circumstances.
Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Taylorsville KY?
Perhaps you live in the Taylorsville Kentucky 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.
Taylorsville, Kentucky
Taylorsville is a home rule-class city in Spencer County, Kentucky, United States. It is the county seat of Spencer County.[2] As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 1,009 and was estimated at 1,275 in 2009. It was incorporated in 1829.
Taylorsville was founded in 1799 on the land of Richard Taylor, father of US President Zachary Taylor. Roughly 60 acres (240,000 m2) of land was taken by the Shelby County Court on Taylor's motion, and soon the town was named after Taylor himself. In 1814 the town of Taylorsville was admitted to record by the Spencer County Court.[3]
As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 1,009 people, 427 households, and 234 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,383.4 people per square mile (533.7/km²). There were 479 housing units at an average density of 656.7 per square mile (253.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.09% White, 7.83% African American, 0.40% from other races, and 1.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.78% of the population.
Online Welder Schools
Welding is truly a manual type of profession, and therefore not extremely suitable for online training. However, there are some online welding classes offered by various community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Taylorsville KY area that may count toward a certificate or degree program. These courses primarily deal with such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help provide a beginner a foundation to initiate their education and training. Nevertheless, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or handle welding materials until you actually do it. Clearly that can’t be accomplished 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 attain a more advanced degree. So if you should discover an online welding certificate or degree program, be very careful and make sure that the majority of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.
Find the Right Welding Tech School Taylorsville KY
Choosing the right welding school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare among the programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any welder training program that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their personal welding machine to train on. Classroom education should provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every 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 speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional welder in Taylorsville KY.
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