How to Enroll In a Welding Technical School near Houghton Michigan

Selecting the ideal welder technical school near Houghton MI is an important first step to launching your new career as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to choose from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more significantly, once you have fine tuned your options, how do you select the best one? A number of prospective students start by reviewing the schools that are nearest to their homes. When they have identified those that are within driving distance, they gravitate toward the least costly one. Yes, location and tuition cost are important concerns when evaluating welder technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before starting your search for a vocational school to become a welder, it’s wise to establish a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we delve into our due diligence checklist, let’s cover a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welding Certificate and Degree Training Courses

There are multiple options to receive training as a welder in a trade or technical 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 degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Below are brief explanations of the most typical welding programs offered in the Houghton MI.

• Diploma and Certificate Programs are normally offered by technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They are more hands-on training in nature, designed primarily to teach welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or supplemental 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 furnishes a more well-rounded education than the diploma or certificate while still providing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.

Some states and municipalities do have licensing requirements for welders, so be sure to find out for your location of potential employment. As needed, the welder school you choose should prep you for any licensing examinations that you will have to pass in addition to supplying the proper training to become a qualified welder.

Welder Certification Choices

There are multiple organizations that offer welding certifications, which test the skill level and knowledge of those applying. Numerous Houghton MI employers not only require a degree or certificate from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a highly regarded agency like the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are offered based on the kind of work that the welder performs. Some of the skills that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to

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

As previously stated, many states, cities or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those mandating licensing, a number additionally require certification for various types of work. Certification is also a way to prove to employers that you are an extremely skilled and experienced welder. So similarly as with licensing, check the requirements for your local area and confirm that the welder tech school you select readies you for certification if needed.

How to Choose a Welding Vocational School

As soon as you have decided on the credential you want to earn, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to compare schools. As you probably know, there are a large number of welder trade and technical schools in the Houghton MI area. That’s why it’s important to determine in advance what qualifications your selected school must have. We have previously covered a couple of important ones that most people consider first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As stated, although they are very important qualifications, they are not the only ones that should be considered. After all, the school you pick is going to furnish the instruction that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So following are some additional factors you may want to evaluate before choosing a welder trade school.

Accreditation. It’s essential that the welder technical school you choose is accredited by either a regional or a national organization. There are 2 standard types of accreditation. The school may receive Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a specific program the school has, for instance 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 acknowledged accrediting organization, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping make sure that you obtain a superior education, the accreditation may also assist in getting financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not offered in Houghton MI for schools that are not accredited. Finally, for those states or local governments that mandate licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited as well.

Job Assistance and Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of welder degree or diploma programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program. Some 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 assistance program. The schools must have partnerships with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. Older schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can rely upon for placements. These programs can assist students in finding employment and develop associations within the Houghton MI welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that start an educational program and finish it. It’s important that the welder school you select has a high completion rate. A reduced rate may mean that the students who joined the program were unhappy with the instruction, the instructors, or the facilities, and dropped out. 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 a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Houghton MI contacts to help students secure employment or apprenticeships after graduation.

Modern Facilities and Equipment. After you have narrowed down your selection of welder programs to two or three options, you should think out going to the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Verify that both the facilities and the equipment 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 currently in an apprenticeship program, consult with the master welder you are working under for guidance. If not, ask a local Houghton MI welding contractor if they can give you a few pointers.

School Location. Although we already briefly discussed the relevance of location, there are a couple of additional points that we need to cover. You should keep in mind that unless you can move, the welder school you choose must be within commuting distance of your Houghton MI home. If you do decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides moving costs there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly the case for welder diploma programs offered by community colleges. Additionally, if the school offers a job placement or apprenticeship program, most likely their placements are within the school’s local community. So the location of the school needs to be in an area or state where you ultimately will wish to work.

Smaller Classes. Individualized training is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to be overlooked in larger classes and not get much individualized instruction. Find out what the typical class size is for the welder programs you are considering. Inquire if you can sit in on a few classes so that you can experience just how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, talk with a few of the students and get their feedback. Similarly, chat with a couple of the trainers and ask what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.

Flexible Class Schedules. Lots of folks learn a new profession while still working at their present job. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Houghton MI, verify that the schools you are assessing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain 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, sickness or family emergencies.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Houghton MI?

Perhaps you live in the Houghton Michigan 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 Degree and Certificate Programs

Welding is very much a hands-on kind of vocation, and therefore not very compatible with online training. Even so, there are a few online welding courses offered by certain community colleges and trade schools in the greater Houghton MI area that can count toward a certificate or degree program. These courses mainly cover such subjects as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a foundation to begin their training and education. However, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or work with welding materials until you actually do it. Obviously that can’t be done online. These skills must be learned in an on-campus setting or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is better suited for experienced welders that desire to advance their knowledge or perhaps attain a more advanced degree. So if you should discover 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 Best Welding Technical School Houghton MI

Choosing the right welder school will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare among the programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any welding training that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their personal welding machine to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs 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 satisfy your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional welder in Houghton MI.