How to Enroll In a Welding Degree Program near Orange Virginia
Enrolling in the right welding vocational school near Orange VA is an essential first step to launching your new career as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to choose from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you pick the right one? Most people begin by reviewing the schools that are closest to their homes. Once they have identified those that are within driving distance, they gravitate toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and tuition cost are important considerations when evaluating welding technical 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 trade school to become a welder, it’s sensible to establish a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we explore our due diligence checklist, let’s cover a little bit about how to become a welder.
Welder Certificate and Degree Training Courses
There are multiple options available to obtain training as a welder in a trade or vocational school. You can obtain a a certificate, a diploma or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Engineering or Welding Technology, but are more advanced degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered combined with an apprenticeship program. Following are short explanations of the most typical welding programs available in the Orange VA.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by trade and technical schools and take about a year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, fashioned largely to teach 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 offers a more well-rounded education than the certificate or diploma while still furnishing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.
A number of states and municipalities do have licensing requirements for welders, so don’t forget to check for your location of future employment. As needed, the welding school you choose should prep you for any licensing exams that you will have to pass in addition to furnishing the proper training to become a professional welder.
Welder Certification Choices
There are multiple organizations that provide welding certifications, which assess the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Many Orange VA employers not only expect a certificate or degree from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a highly regarded agency such as the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are offered dependent on the type of work that the welder does. Just some of the skills that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to
- Work in compliance with specific codes
- Work with certain metal thicknesses
- Work with certain types of welds
- Operate based on contract specifications
As formerly stated, some states, cities or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those requiring licensing, a number also require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a means to prove to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and qualified welder. So just as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and verify that the welding technical school you choose prepares you for certification as needed.
How to Choose a Welding Tech School
When you have chosen the credential you want to obtain, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to evaluate schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of welder trade and technical schools in the Orange VA area. That’s why it’s necessary to establish in advance what qualifications your selected school must have. We have previously discussed two significant ones that most people look at first, which are location and tuition cost. As stated, although they are essential qualifiers, they are not the only ones that should be considered. After all, the school you decide on is going to provide the education that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So following are some additional factors you may need to evaluate before choosing a welder technical school.
Accreditation. It’s very important that the welder trade school you choose is accredited by either a regional or a national organization. There are 2 basic types of accreditation. The school may receive Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a single program the school has, such as Welding Technology. So make certain that the program you choose is accredited, not just the school itself. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, the accreditation can also help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available in Orange VA for non-accredited schools. Also, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited as well.
Apprenticeship and Job Placement Programs. Numerous welder diploma or degree programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program. Some other schools will assist in placing you in a job or an apprenticeship upon graduation. Find out if the schools you are reviewing help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. These schools must have associations with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can place their students. Older schools may have a more substantial network of graduates that they can rely upon for referrals. These programs can help students find employment and develop relationships within the Orange VA welding community.
Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that enroll in an academic program and finish it. It’s important that the welder school you select has a higher completion rate. A lower rate could indicate that the students who enrolled in the program were unhappy with the instruction, the instructors, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also an indication of the caliber of training. A higher job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Orange VA employer relationships to assist students obtain apprenticeships or employment after graduation.
Up-to-date Equipment and Facilities. After you have decreased your selection of welding schools to 2 or 3 options, you should think out visiting the campuses to inspect their facilities. Make sure that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are modern. In particular, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be using in the field. If you are not sure what to look for, and are already in an apprenticeship program, ask the master welder you are working under for guidance. If not, ask a local Orange VA welding professional if they can give you a few tips.
School Location. Even though we previously briefly talked about the relevance of location, there are a few additional points that we should deal with. You should remember that unless you have the ability to relocate, the welder school you select must be within commuting distance of your Orange VA home. If you do choose to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides moving costs there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially true for welder certificate programs offered by community colleges. Additionally, if the school provides a job placement or apprenticeship program, more than 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 subsequently will wish to work.
Smaller Classes. One-on-one training is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to be lost in bigger classes and not obtain much one-on-one instruction. Find out what the usual class size is for the welding programs you are reviewing. Ask if you can sit in on some classes so that you can observe how much personal attention the students are receiving. While there, speak with several of the students and get their feedback. Also, chat with a couple of the trainers and ask what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they hold.
Convenient Class Schedules. Lots of folks learn a new profession while still employed at their current job. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Orange VA, make certain that the schools you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select 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 Orange VA?
Perhaps you live in the Orange Virginia 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.
Orange, Virginia
Orange is a town in, and county seat of, Orange County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,721 at the 2010 census, representing a 14.5% increase since the 2000 census.[3] Orange is 28 miles (45 km) northeast of Charlottesville, 88 miles (142 km) southwest of Washington, D.C., and 4 miles (6 km) east of James Madison's plantation of Montpelier.
The present-day Town of Orange was known as the Town of Orange Court House prior to the late 19th century. Following the establishment of Culpeper County from a part of Orange County in 1749, the courthouse was relocated to Orange Court House from elsewhere in the county. The court convened in the house of man named Timothy Crosthwait until 1752; after Crosthwait deeded the two acres to the county, it constructed a new courthouse on the property. The town at that time consisted of the courthouse and its related public buildings, a few houses and stores, a tavern and little else. The first U.S. Post Office was constructed in the town in 1796. In 1801–1804 the courthouse was replaced with a new building, clerk's office and, later, a new jail.[4]
In 1799 Paul Verdier purchased the property of William Bell, an 18th-century farm that included much of the modern-day Town of Orange adjacent to Main Street, near present-day Bellevue and Peliso avenues. Verdier divided the land into lots, which helped shape the town's pattern of development. His house, which he named Montpeliso, still stands on the land. Growth continued into the nineteenth century as new roadways were constructed through the town. Along with expanding agricultural markets, the roads helped transform Orange Court House into a regional center. In 1834 the Virginia General Assembly to pass an act allowing for the incorporation of the Town of Orange Court House. But, the act never had implementing legislation.[4][5][6]
Online Welding Classes
Welding is truly a hands-on kind of trade, and consequently not extremely suitable for online training. However, there are a few online welding courses offered by specific community colleges and trade schools in the greater Orange VA area that may count toward a degree or certificate program. These classes mainly deal with such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give 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 until you actually do it. Obviously that can’t be accomplished online. These skills need to be learned in an on-campus setting or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is more appropriate for seasoned welders that desire to advance their expertise or perhaps obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding degree or certificate program, be extremely careful and confirm that the greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.
Pick the Right Welding Vocational Program Orange VA
Picking the best welder training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any welder training that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you choose is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional welder in Orange VA.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 2
5 Reviews 
2 Reviews 