How to Enroll In a Welder Certification Class near Wells Maine

Locating the right welder technical school near Wells ME is an important first step to beginning your new career as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to pick from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have narrowed down your alternatives, how do you select the right one? Many people begin by checking out the schools that are closest to their homes. Once they have located those that are within driving distance, they gravitate toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are necessary considerations when examining welder vocational 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 establish 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.

Welding Degree and Certificate Programs

There are a number of options available to get training as a welder in a technical or trade school. You can receive a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are offered in Welding Engineering or Welding Technology, but are more advanced degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Following are short summaries of the most prevalent welding programs available in the Wells ME.

• Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually made available by trade and technical schools and take about a year to finish. They are more hands-on training in scope, fashioned largely to develop welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or additional skills for working welders.
• Associate Degree Programs will take two years to finish and are most often offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology furnishes a more extensive education than the diploma or certificate while still providing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.

A number of municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore make sure to check for your location of future employment. As required, the welding school you select should ready you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to providing the suitable training to become a professional welder.

Welding Certification Choices

There are a number of organizations that provide welder certifications, which test the skill level and knowledge of those applying. A large number of Wells ME employers not only require a degree or certificate from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a highly regarded organization like 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 acknowledge are the welder’s ability to

• Operate in compliance with specific codes
• Work with specific metal thicknesses
• Work with various types of welds
• Operate according to contract specifications

As previously mentioned, some cities, states or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those mandating licensing, a number also require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a way to prove to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and qualified welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your location and verify that the welder vocational school you decide on prepares you for certification if needed.

How to Decide on a Welding Trade Program

As soon as you have chosen the credential you want to earn, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to assess schools. As you probably know, there are a large number of welder vocational and trade schools in the Wells ME area. That’s why it’s essential to decide in advance what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have previously discussed 2 important ones that most people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. As stated, although they are essential qualifiers, they are not the only ones that need to be looked at. After all, the program you pick is going to furnish the training that will be the foundation of your new career as a welder. So following are more factors you might want to evaluate before choosing a welder trade school.

Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welding tech school you decide on is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are 2 basic kinds of accreditation. The school may receive Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a single program the school offers, for example Welding Technology. So make certain that the program you pick is accredited, not just the school alone. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping make sure that you receive a superior education, the accreditation might also help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available in Wells ME for non-accredited schools. Finally, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited as well.

Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. A large number of welder certificate or degree 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. Ask if the schools you are considering assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. These schools must have relationships 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 utilize for referrals. These programs can help students find employment and establish relationships within the Wells ME welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that enroll in an academic program and finish it. It’s essential that the welder school you choose has a high completion rate. A reduced rate may mean that the students who enrolled 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 higher job placement rate will not only verify that the program has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Wells ME contacts to assist students obtain employment or apprenticeships after graduation.

Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. Once you have narrowed down your choice of welder programs to two or three options, you should consider going to the campuses to look over their facilities. Verify that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be instructed on are up-to-date. Specifically, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be using on the job. If you are uncertain 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 Wells ME welding contractor if they can give you some suggestions.

School Location. Although we previously briefly talked about the relevance of location, there are a couple of additional issues that we should address. You should bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the welding program you pick must be within commuting distance of your Wells ME home. If you do opt to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving expenses there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly the case for welder degree programs offered by community colleges. Also, if the school offers a job placement or apprenticeship program, often 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.

Small Classes. Individualized instruction is essential for a manual trade such as welding. It’s easy to get overlooked in larger classes and not receive much individualized training. Ask what the average class size is for the welder programs you are considering. Inquire if you can attend a few classes so that you can observe how much individual attention the students are getting. While there, talk with a few of the students and get their opinions. Similarly, talk to a couple of the teachers and ask what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.

Flexible Class Scheduling. Many people learn a new trade while still working at their present job. Check to see that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are convenient enough to satisfy your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Wells ME, verify that the schools you are assessing 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 because of illness, work or family circumstances.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Wells ME?

Perhaps you live in the Wells Maine 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 Classes

Welding is truly a manual type of trade, and for that reason not extremely compatible with training online. Even so, there are a few online welding courses offered by certain community colleges and trade schools in the greater Wells ME area that may be credited toward a certificate or degree program. These courses mainly deal with such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a basis 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 accomplished 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 perhaps earn a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding degree or certificate program, be extremely careful and confirm that the greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.

Select the Ideal Welding Technical Program Wells ME

Picking the right welding school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any welding school that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student must have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Each program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Wells ME.