Welding Schools Near Me | How to Become a Welder – Woburn MA

How to Select a Welding Certification Course near Woburn Massachusetts

Woburn MA welding school studentChoosing the ideal welding vocational school near Woburn MA is an essential first step to launching your new career as a professional welder. But since there are numerous schools to select from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more significantly, once you have fine tuned your choices, how do you pick the right one? Most people start by checking out the schools that are closest to their residences. Once they have found those that are within driving distance, they gravitate toward the least costly one. Yes, location and tuition cost are necessary considerations 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 prudent to develop 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 Certificate and Degree Training Courses

Woburn MA welder working on pipingThere are multiple alternatives available to obtain 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 available in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced courses than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered combined with an apprenticeship program. Following are brief summaries of the most prevalent welding programs offered in the Woburn MA.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are normally offered by trade and technical schools and take about 1 year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, fashioned mainly to teach welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or specialized skills for working welders.
  • Associate Degree Programs will take 2 years to complete and are most often offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology provides a more extensive education than the certificate or diploma while still supplying the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.

Some states and municipalities do have licensing prerequisites for welders, so don’t forget to check for your location of potential employment. If needed, the welder school you select should ready you for any licensing examinations that you will have to take in addition to furnishing the appropriate training to become a professional welder.

Welding Certification Options

Woburn MA welder working on poleThere are various institutions that offer welder certifications, which evaluate the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Numerous Woburn MA employers not only require a certificate or degree from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a renowned agency like the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are offered based on the type of work that the welder does. A few of the things that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to

  • Work in compliance with specific codes
  • Work with specific metal thicknesses
  • Work with certain kinds of welds
  • Work based on contract specifications

As previously stated, many states, cities or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those calling for licensing, many also require certification for various kinds of work. Certification is also a means to prove to employers that you are a highly skilled and experienced welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your location and verify that the welder vocational school you choose preps you for certification as needed.

How to Decide on a Welding Tech Program

Woburn MA welder working on carOnce you have decided on the credential you want to obtain, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can begin to evaluate schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous welder vocational and trade schools in the Woburn MA area. That’s why it’s essential to decide in advance what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have previously covered 2 significant ones that most people look at first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As mentioned, although they are very important qualifiers, they are not the only ones that need to be considered. After all, the school you select is going to furnish the instruction that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So below are more factors you might need to evaluate before picking a welding vocational school.

Accreditation. It’s essential that the welding trade school you choose is accredited by either a national or a regional organization. There are two basic kinds of accreditation. The school may earn Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on an individual program the school has, for example Welding Technology. So verify that the program you choose is accredited, not just the school itself. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, the accreditation can also assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered in Woburn MA for non-accredited schools. Finally, for those states or municipalities that require licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited as well.

Job Assistance and Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of 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 after graduation. Ask if the schools you are looking at assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. The schools must have relationships with local unions and other metal working businesses to which they can place their students. Older schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can rely upon for placements. These programs can help students find employment and develop relationships within the Woburn MA 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 program you choose has a high completion rate. A reduced rate might indicate that the students who enrolled in the program were dissatisfied with the instruction, the instructors, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also a good indicator of the caliber of training. A higher job placement rate will not only verify that the program has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Woburn MA contacts to assist students obtain employment or apprenticeships upon graduation.

Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. Once you have narrowed down your choice of welding schools to 2 or 3 options, you should think out visiting the campuses to inspect their facilities. Make sure that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are modern. In particular, the training equipment should be comparable 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, consult with the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Woburn MA welding professional if they can give you some suggestions.

School Location. Even though we previously briefly discussed 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 welding school you choose must be within driving distance of your Woburn MA home. If you do opt to enroll in an out-of-state school, apart from relocation costs there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly 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 subsequently will wish to work.

Small Classes. One-on-one instruction is important for a manual trade such as welding. It’s possible to be lost in larger classes and not receive much individualized training. Find out what the average class size is for the welding schools you are considering. Ask 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 some of the students and get their evaluations. Similarly, chat with a couple of the trainers and ask what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they have earned.

Flexible Class Scheduling. Many people learn a new profession while still working at their current job. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are considering are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Woburn MA, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those alternatives. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make up classes if you you miss any because of work, sickness or family circumstances.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Woburn MA?

Perhaps you live in the Woburn Massachusetts 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.

Woburn, Massachusetts

Woburn (/ˈwuːbərn/ WOO-bərn) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 38,120 at the 2010 census. Woburn is located 9 miles (14 km) north of Boston, Massachusetts.

Woburn was first settled in 1640 near Horn Pond, a primary source of the Mystic River, and was officially incorporated in 1642. At that time the area included present day towns of Woburn, Winchester, Burlington, and parts of Stoneham and Wilmington. In 1730 Wilmington separated from Woburn. In 1799 Burlington separated from Woburn; in 1850 Winchester did so, too.

Woburn got its name from Woburn, Bedfordshire. Woburn played host to the first religious ordination in the Americas on Nov. 22, 1642. Rev. Thomas Carter was sworn in by many of the most prominent men of New England including John Cotton, minister of the First Church of Boston, Richard Mather minister of the First Church of Dorchester, and Capt. Edward Johnson co-founder of the church and town of Woburn. Johnson is regarded as "the father of Woburn." He served as the first town clerk, represented the town in the Massachusetts General Court, made the first map of Massachusetts, and wrote the first history of the colony.[2]

Online Welder Classes

pipe welder at work in Woburn MAWelding is very much a hands-on kind of vocation, and for that reason not very suitable for training online. However, there are a few online welding programs offered by specific community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Woburn MA area that can be credited toward a certificate or degree program. These courses primarily cover such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a foundation to initiate their education and training. Nevertheless, the most important point is that you can’t learn how to weld or handle welding materials unless you actually do it. Obviously that can’t be done online. These skills must be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is more appropriate for experienced welders that would like to advance their knowledge or perhaps attain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding certificate or degree program, be very careful and confirm that the majority of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.

Choose the Ideal Welding Technical Program Woburn MA

Selecting the best welding school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare between the programs you are considering. It’s a necessity that any welder training program that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Each training program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you pick is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional welder in Woburn MA.

 

The location could not be found.

 

Business Results 1 - 10 of 16

Welch Welding & Truck Equipment
3 Reviews
Auto Parts & Supplies, Metal Fabricators
Phone:
164 Middlesex St, North Chelmsford, MA 01863

Pacheco Welding
2 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
1086 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215

DeLuca Welding
1 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
cambridge, MA 02141

Tewksbury Welding
1 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
662 Clark Rd, Tewksbury, MA 01876

Santini Bros Iron Works, Inc
2 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
28 Sycamore Ave, Medford, MA 02155

Bob Roy Welding
3 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
101 Clematis Ave, Waltham, MA 02453

Mike's Welding
2 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
339 Washington Ave, Revere, MA 02151

Diaute Bros
1 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
475 Quincy Ave, Braintree, MA 02184

North Shore Welding
2 Reviews
Metal Fabricators
Phone:
Woods Ln, Ipswich, MA 01938

Atlantic Awning Company
14 Reviews
Awnings
Phone:
270 Franklin St, Melrose, MA 02176