Welding Schools Near Me | How to Become a Welder – Ottawa Lake MI

How to Select a Welder Certificate Program near Ottawa Lake Michigan

Ottawa Lake MI welding school studentSelecting the right welder technical school near Ottawa Lake MI is an essential first step to starting your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are a lot of schools to select from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have narrowed down your options, how do you pick the best one? Most prospective students begin by checking out the schools that are nearest to their homes. When they have found those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the least costly one. Yes, location and tuition cost are necessary issues when examining welder trade schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before beginning your search for a vocational school to become a welder, it’s prudent to establish 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 Degree and Certificate Training Classes

Ottawa Lake MI welder working on pipingThere are multiple options to get training as a welder in a technical or trade school. You can earn a a certificate, a diploma 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 made available combined with an apprenticeship program. Following are short explanations of the most prevalent welding programs offered in the Ottawa Lake MI.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally made available by technical and trade schools and take about one year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, fashioned primarily to teach welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or additional skills for experienced welders.
  • Associate Degree Programs will take 2 years to complete and are usually offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology furnishes a more extensive education than the diploma or certificate while still supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

A number of states and municipalities do have licensing requirements for welders, therefore don’t forget to find out for your location of potential employment. If required, the welder school you choose should prep you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to supplying the suitable training to become a professional welder.

Welding Certification Alternatives

Ottawa Lake MI welder working on poleThere are multiple institutions that provide welder certifications, which test the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Many Ottawa Lake MI employers not only expect a certificate or degree from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a respected agency like the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are offered based upon the type of work that the welder performs. A few of the skills that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to

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

As already stated, some states, cities or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those mandating licensing, many also require certification for various kinds of work. Certification is also a means to prove to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and experienced welder. So just as with licensing, check the requirements for your location and verify that the welder tech school you select prepares you for certification if needed.

How to Decide on a Welder Vocational School

Ottawa Lake MI welder working on carAs soon as you have decided on the credential you want to attain, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can begin to evaluate schools. As you probably know, there are numerous welding trade and vocational schools in the Ottawa Lake MI area. That’s why it’s essential to establish up front what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have already covered a couple of significant ones that many people consider first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As stated, although they are essential qualifiers, they are not the only ones that should be looked at. After all, the program you select is going to provide the instruction that will be the foundation of your new career as a welder. So following are some additional factors you may want to evaluate before selecting a welding vocational school.

Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welder technical school you select is accredited by either a regional or a national organization. There are 2 basic kinds of accreditation. The school may attain Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on an individual program the school has, such as Welding Technology. So make sure that the program you choose is accredited, not just the school itself. Additionally, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, the accreditation can also assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available in Ottawa Lake MI for non-accredited schools. Also, for those states or municipalities 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 degree or diploma programs are provided combined with an apprenticeship program. Other schools will help place you in a job or an apprenticeship upon graduation. Ask if the schools you are looking at assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. The schools should have associations with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can place their students. More established schools may have a more substantial network of graduates that they can rely upon for placements. These programs can assist students in finding employment and establish relationships within the Ottawa Lake MI welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that start an educational program and complete it. It’s important that the welding school you select has a high completion rate. A lower rate could mean that the students who joined the program were unhappy with the training, the teachers, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also an indication of the quality of training. A higher job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Ottawa Lake MI contacts to assist students secure apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.

Up-to-date Equipment and Facilities. After you have decreased your selection of welder schools to two or three possibilities, you should consider visiting the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Verify that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be taught on are up-to-date. In particular, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be working with on the job. If you are not sure 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 Ottawa Lake MI welding contractor if they can give you some tips.

School Location. Even though we previously briefly discussed the significance of location, there are a few additional points that we should address. You should remember that unless you are able to relocate, the welding program you select needs to be within driving distance of your Ottawa Lake MI home. If you do choose to attend an out-of-state school, apart from relocation costs there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially true for welding degree programs offered by community colleges. Additionally, 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 desire to work.

Smaller Classes. One-on-one instruction is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to get overlooked in larger classes and not obtain much personalized instruction. Find out what the average class size is for the welder schools you are reviewing. Ask if you can attend a few classes so that you can observe just how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, speak with several of the students and get their feedback. Also, speak with a few of the trainers and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they have earned.

Convenient Class Scheduling. Some people learn a new profession while still employed at their current job. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are convenient enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Ottawa Lake MI, make certain that the schools you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you choose offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make up classes if you you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Ottawa Lake MI?

Perhaps you live in the Ottawa Lake 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.

Ottawa County, Michigan

Ottawa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 263,801.[2] The county seat is Grand Haven.[1][3] The county is named for the Ottawa Nation.[1] It was set off in 1831 and organized in 1837.[1]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,631 square miles (4,220 km2), of which 563 square miles (1,460 km2) is land and 1,068 square miles (2,770 km2) (65%) is water.[4]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 263,801 people residing in the county. 90.1% were White, 2.6% Asian, 1.5% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 3.4% of some other race and 2.0% of two or more races. 8.6% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 31.0% were of Dutch, 14.2% German, 5.8% English and 5.7% Irish ancestry.[10]

Online Welding Certificate and Degree Programs

pipe welder at work in Ottawa Lake MIWelding is very much a manual type of vocation, and for that reason not very compatible with online training. However, there are some online welding programs offered by certain community colleges and trade schools in the greater Ottawa Lake MI area that may count toward a degree or certificate program. These classes primarily deal with such topics as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a basis to begin their education and training. Nevertheless, the most important point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials until you actually do it. Obviously that can’t be done 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 very cautious and confirm that the larger part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Find the Best Welding Tech School Ottawa Lake MI

Choosing the ideal welding school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any welding training that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Each training program provides unique options for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional welder in Ottawa Lake MI.

 

The location could not be found.

 

Business Results 1 - 10 of 1

Beans Best
8 Reviews
Metal Fabricators, Powder Coating, Sandblasting
Phone:
1240 Jewett Ave, Unit 1, Ann Arbor, MI 48104