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

How to Pick a Welding Training Class near Romulus Michigan

Romulus MI welding school studentFinding the right welder trade school near Romulus MI is an essential first step to starting 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 notably, once you have fine tuned your alternatives, how do you select the right one? A number of people begin by checking out the schools that are nearest to their homes. Once they have identified those that are within driving distance, they gravitate toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and tuition cost are important considerations when examining welder vocational schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before beginning your search for a trade 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 cover a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welder Degree and Certificate Training Courses

Romulus MI welder working on pipingThere are a number of options to obtain training as a welder in a technical or trade school. You can obtain 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 made available combined with an apprenticeship program. Below are short descriptions of the most prevalent welding programs available in the Romulus MI.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by trade and technical schools and require about one year to finish. They are more hands-on training in scope, designed mainly to develop welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or supplemental skills for experienced welders.
  • Associate Degree Programs will take two years to complete and are most often offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology offers a more well-rounded education than the certificate or diploma while still providing the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

Some municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore don’t forget to find out for your location of potential employment. If required, the welder school you choose should ready you for any licensing examinations that you will need to take in addition to providing the suitable training to become a professional welder.

Welding Certification Choices

Romulus MI welder working on poleThere are several organizations that provide welding certifications, which assess the skill level and knowledge of those applying. Many Romulus MI employers not only require a certificate or degree from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a highly regarded agency such as the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are available based on the type of work that the welder performs. A few of the things 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 in compliance with contract specifications

As formerly stated, some states, cities or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those calling for licensing, some additionally require certification for different types of work. Certification is also a means to prove to employers that you are an extremely skilled and qualified welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your location and verify that the welding trade school you choose prepares you for certification if needed.

How to Select a Welder Tech School

Romulus MI welder working on carWhen you have decided on the credential you want to obtain, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to evaluate schools. As you probably know, there are many welding trade and vocational schools in the Romulus MI area. That’s why it’s important to decide up front what qualifications your selected school must have. We have already discussed a couple of important ones that most people consider first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As stated, although they are essential qualifications, they are not the only ones that should be looked at. After all, the program you select is going to provide the training that will be the foundation of your new career as a welder. So following are more factors you may need to evaluate before selecting a welder tech school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welding vocational school you pick is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are 2 basic types 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, such as Welding Technology. So make certain that the program you pick is accredited, not just the school itself. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for example the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping make sure that you receive an excellent education, the accreditation can also assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable in Romulus MI for non-accredited schools. Finally, for those states or municipalities that require licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited as well.

Apprenticeship and Job Placement Programs. Numerous welding certificate or degree programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will assist in placing you in an apprenticeship or a job after graduation. Find out if the schools you are reviewing help 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 larger network of graduates that they can utilize for placements. These programs can assist students in finding employment and establish relationships within the Romulus MI welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that start an instructional program and complete it. It’s essential that the welding school you select has a high completion rate. A lower rate might indicate that the students who joined the program were dissatisfied with the training, the teachers, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also an indication of the caliber of training. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of Romulus MI employer relationships to assist students secure employment or apprenticeships after graduation.

Up-to-date Equipment and Facilities. Once you have narrowed down your choice of welding schools to two or three possibilities, you should consider going to the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Make sure that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be trained on are modern. Specifically, 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 currently in an apprenticeship program, ask the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Romulus MI welding professional if they can give you a few suggestions.

School Location. Even though we already briefly discussed the relevance of location, there are a few additional issues that we should deal with. You should bear in mind that unless you can move, the welding program you pick must be within commuting distance of your Romulus MI home. If you do decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially the case for welder degree programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, 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 a region or state where you ultimately will desire to work.

Smaller Classes. Personalized training is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to be lost in bigger classes and not obtain much personalized training. Ask what the usual class size is for the welding programs you are looking at. 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, speak with several of the students and get their opinions. Similarly, talk to a few of the teachers and ask what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they have earned.

Convenient Class Schedules. Some people learn a new profession while still employed at their present job. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are looking at are convenient enough to satisfy your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Romulus MI, verify that the schools you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask 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 Romulus MI?

Perhaps you live in the Romulus 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.

Romulus, Michigan

Romulus is a suburban city of Metro Detroit, located in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 23,989 at the 2010 census, an increase from 22,979 in 2000, making the city the 80th largest city in Michigan. Romulus is home to Detroit Metropolitan Airport and a General Motors plant (Romulus Engine) that opened in 1975. The city is the westernmost community in the Downriver area in Wayne County.

The first settler in the area that was the village of Romulus prior to the 1865 annexation of the whole village and township into one city was Samuel McMath, who moved from New York state to the area in 1827. He improved land and planned to bring his family to settle there, but he died before he could carry out this plan.[5]

Solomon Whitaker, Charles and Joseph Pulcifer located in the area in 1830, and in 1833, Jenks Pullen and his six sons settled at what became known as "Pullen's Corners" (located in section 19 at the intersection that is now commonly called "Five Points"). Pullen's Corners was platted in 1836. The community later took on the name of the township.[6][7][8][9]

Online Welding Degree and Certificate Programs

pipe welder at work in Romulus MIWelding is very much a manual kind of trade, and therefore not very compatible with online training. Even so, there are a few online welding programs offered by various community colleges and technical schools in the greater Romulus MI area that can be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These classes primarily cover such topics as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a foundation to initiate their training and education. However, the most important point is that you can’t learn how to weld or handle welding materials unless you actually do it. Naturally that can’t be accomplished 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 would like to advance their knowledge or possibly attain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding degree or certificate program, be extremely careful and confirm that the larger part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Select the Right Welding Vocational School Romulus MI

Selecting the right welder training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any welder training program that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their own welding machine to train on. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every program offers unique options for certification also. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional welder in Romulus MI.

 

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