How to Find the Right Welding Degree Program near Williamsfield Illinois

Enrolling in the ideal welding vocational school near Williamsfield IL is an essential first step to beginning your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are numerous schools to choose from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more significantly, once you have narrowed down your alternatives, how do you select the right one? Many prospective students start by looking at the schools that are nearest to their homes. When they have identified those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the least costly one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are crucial considerations when reviewing welding technical 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 vocational school to become a welder, it’s wise to develop a list of qualifications that your selected 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 receive training as a welder in a trade or technical 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 courses than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available combined with an apprenticeship program. Below are brief descriptions of the most common welding programs offered in the Williamsfield IL.

• Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally made available by technical and trade schools and require about 1 year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, created largely to teach welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or supplemental 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 furnishes a more extensive education than the certificate or diploma while still providing the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

Many municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, so be sure to find out for your location of future employment. If needed, the welder school you select should prepare you for any licensing examinations that you will need to pass in addition to providing the proper training to become a qualified welder.

Welding Certification Choices

There are a number of organizations that offer welder certifications, which evaluate the knowledge and skill level of those applying. A large number of Williamsfield IL employers not only expect a certificate or degree from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a highly regarded organization such as the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are available based on the kind of work that the welder does. Some of the skills that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

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

As formerly mentioned, some cities, states or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those calling for licensing, some also require certification for different types of work. Certification is also a means to demonstrate to employers that you are a highly skilled and experienced welder. So just as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and make certain that the welding technical school you select preps you for certification if needed.

How to Decide on a Welder Trade Program

After you have chosen the credential you want to earn, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to assess schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous welder trade and technical schools in the Williamsfield IL area. That’s why it’s important to establish up front what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have already covered 2 significant ones that most people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. As stated, although they are very important qualifications, they are not the only ones that need to be considered. After all, the school you choose is going to furnish the education that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So following are more factors you may need to evaluate before selecting a welder vocational school.

Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welding vocational school you select is accredited by either a national or a regional organization. There are two standard types of accreditation. The school may earn Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a specific program the school offers, such as Welding Technology. So confirm that the program you pick is accredited, not just the school itself. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping ensure that you get a quality education, the accreditation can also help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable in Williamsfield IL for schools that are not accredited. Also, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited as well.

Job Assistance and Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous welding degree or certificate programs are provided combined with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will assist in placing you in an apprenticeship or a job 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 larger network of graduates that they can utilize for placements. These programs can assist students in finding employment and establish relationships within the Williamsfield IL welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an instructional program and complete it. It’s crucial that the welding program you pick has a high completion rate. A low rate could signify that the students who were in the program were dissatisfied with the training, the instructors, 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 affirm that the program has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of Williamsfield IL employer relationships to assist students obtain apprenticeships or employment after graduation.

Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. Once you have decreased your selection of welding programs to 2 or 3 possibilities, you should consider visiting the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Make sure that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be trained on are up-to-date. Specifically, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be using in the field. 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. If not, ask a local Williamsfield IL welding contractor if they can give you some suggestions.

School Location. Even though we previously briefly covered the relevance of location, there are a couple of additional points that we need to cover. You should bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the welding program you select needs to be within commuting distance of your Williamsfield IL home. If you do choose to attend an out-of-state school, besides moving expenses there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially the case for welding certificate programs offered by community colleges. Additionally, if the school provides an apprenticeship or job placement program, more than likely their placements are within the school’s regional community. So the location of the school should be in a region or state where you ultimately will want to work.

Small Classes. Individualized training is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to get overlooked in bigger classes and not obtain much one-on-one training. Find out what the average class size is for the welding schools you are looking at. Inquire if you can attend some classes so that you can see how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, talk with some of the students and get their evaluations. Similarly, speak with a few of the instructors and find out what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they have earned.

Convenient Class Scheduling. Many people learn a new trade while still employed at their current 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 go to classes at night or on weekends near Williamsfield IL, confirm that the schools you are considering provide those alternatives. If you can only attend part-time, confirm that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make up classes if you you miss any due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Williamsfield IL?

Perhaps you live in the Williamsfield Illinois 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 hands-on type of profession, and consequently not extremely suitable for training online. Having said that, there are a few online welding programs offered by various community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Williamsfield IL area that can be credited toward a certificate or degree program. These classes primarily cover such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a basis to initiate their education and training. Nevertheless, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or work with welding materials unless you actually do it. Obviously that can’t be performed online. These skills need to be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is better suited for seasoned welders that desire to advance their expertise or perhaps obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should discover an online welding certificate or degree program, be extremely cautious and verify that the larger part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Choose the Right Welding Vocational Program Williamsfield IL

Choosing the right welder training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare among the programs you are considering. It’s a must that any welder school that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their personal welding machine to train on. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every program provides unique options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new trade as a professional welder in Williamsfield IL.