How to Find the Right Welding Training Program near Atlantic Beach North Carolina

Enrolling in the ideal welder vocational school near Atlantic Beach NC is an important first step to beginning your new career as a professional welder. But since there are so many 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 right one? Many prospective students start by checking out the schools that are nearest to their homes. When they have found those that are within commuting distance, they are drawn toward the least costly one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are necessary concerns when evaluating welder vocational 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 trade school to become a welder, it’s prudent to create 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.

Welding Degree and Certificate Programs

There are a number of options 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 Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available along with an apprenticeship program. Following are brief descriptions of the most common welding programs available in the Atlantic Beach NC.

• Diploma and Certificate Programs are normally offered by technical and trade schools and take about 1 year to complete. They are more hands-on training in nature, created 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 2 years to finish 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.

Some municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore make sure to find out for your location of potential employment. If required, the welding school you select should prep you for any licensing exams that you will need to take in addition to supplying the suitable training to become a qualified welder.

Welder Certification Options

There are several organizations that provide welding certifications, which assess the skill level and knowledge of those applying. Many Atlantic Beach NC employers not only demand a certificate or degree from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a highly regarded organization like the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are available based upon the type of work that the welder does. Just some of the things that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

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

As already mentioned, some cities, states or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those mandating licensing, many 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 vocational school you decide on readies you for certification if needed.

How to Decide on a Welder Trade School

As soon as you have chosen the credential you want to earn, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to evaluate schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are many welding vocational and trade schools in the Atlantic Beach NC area. That’s why it’s important to establish up front what qualifications your selected school must have. We have already covered two significant ones that many people look at 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 looked at. After all, the school you decide on 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 need to evaluate before selecting a welding vocational school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welder trade school you decide on is accredited by either a regional or a national organization. There are two basic kinds 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. Additionally, 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 ensure that you obtain an excellent education, the accreditation might also help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available in Atlantic Beach NC for non-accredited schools. Also, for those states or local governments that mandate licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited also.

Apprenticeship and Job Placement Programs. A large number of welding diploma or degree programs are provided in conjunction 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 considering help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. These schools must have associations with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can refer 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 develop relationships within the Atlantic Beach NC welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that begin an instructional program and finish it. It’s essential that the welding school you choose has a higher completion rate. A lower rate might indicate that the students who enrolled in 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 high job placement rate will not only confirm that the program has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Atlantic Beach NC employer relationships to help students obtain apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.

Modern Facilities and Equipment. After you have narrowed down your selection of welder programs to 2 or 3 options, you should think out visiting the campuses to look over their facilities. Make sure that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be taught on are modern. In particular, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be working with 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 Atlantic Beach NC welding contractor if they can give you some tips.

School Location. Although we already briefly covered the importance of location, there are a few additional points that we should address. You should bear in mind that unless you can move, the welder school you choose needs to be within driving distance of your Atlantic Beach NC home. If you do decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, apart from moving expenses there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly true for welder certificate programs offered by community colleges. Also, if the school offers a job placement or apprenticeship program, often 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 ultimately will wish to work.

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

Convenient Class Scheduling. Some people learn a new profession while still employed at their present job. Check to see that the class schedules for the programs you are considering are flexible enough to satisfy your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Atlantic Beach NC, confirm that the schools you are assessing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the policy is to make up classes if you you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Atlantic Beach NC?

Perhaps you live in the Atlantic Beach North Carolina 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 Degree and Certificate Programs

Welding is truly a manual type of vocation, and therefore not extremely compatible with training online. However, there are a few online welding programs offered by certain community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Atlantic Beach NC area that can be credited toward a certificate or degree program. These courses primarily cover such topics as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a novice a foundation to start their education and training. Nevertheless, the most important point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials unless you actually do it. Naturally that can’t be accomplished online. These skills need to be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is more appropriate for seasoned welders that want to advance their knowledge or perhaps earn a more advanced degree. So if you should come across an online welding degree or certificate program, be extremely cautious and confirm that the larger part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.

Find the Right Welding Vocational Program Atlantic Beach NC

Choosing the best welder school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any welding training program that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their personal welding machine to train on. Classroom education should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each training program offers different options for certification also. Probably The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional welder in Atlantic Beach NC.