How to Pick a Welder Certificate Program near Ellamore West Virginia

Locating the right welder trade school near Ellamore WV is an important first step to launching your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are a lot of schools to pick 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? A number of prospective students start by reviewing the schools that are closest to their residences. Once they have identified those that are within commuting distance, they are drawn toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are crucial issues when reviewing welder 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 vocational school to become a welder, it’s sensible 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.

Welding Degree and Certificate Training

There are a number of alternatives available to obtain training as a welder in a technical or trade school. You can obtain a a certificate, a diploma 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 in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Below are short descriptions of the most common welding programs available in the Ellamore WV.

• Certificate and Diploma Programs are normally made available by trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They are more hands-on training in scope, fashioned largely 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 most often offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology provides a more well-rounded education than the diploma or certificate while still furnishing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.

A number of municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore be sure to check for your location of potential employment. As required, the welding school you select should prepare you for any licensing exams that you will need to take in addition to furnishing the suitable training to become a professional welder.

Welder Certification Options

There are a number of organizations that provide welder certifications, which assess the knowledge and skill level of those applying. A large number of Ellamore WV employers not only expect a degree or certificate from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a respected organization such as the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are offered dependent on the type of work that the welder performs. Just some of the skills that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to

• Operate in compliance with specific codes
• Work with certain metal thicknesses
• Work with specific kinds of welds
• Perform according to contract specifications

As already stated, some cities, states or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those calling for licensing, a number additionally require certification for various kinds of work. Certification is also a way to prove to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and verify that the welder tech school you choose preps you for certification if needed.

How to Decide on a Welder Tech Program

After you have decided on the credential you want to earn, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can start to compare schools. As you probably know, there are numerous welder trade and technical schools in the Ellamore WV area. That’s why it’s necessary to establish up front what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have previously discussed two significant ones that many people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. As stated, although they are essential qualifications, they are not the only ones that must be looked at. After all, the program you pick is going to provide the instruction that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So below are more factors you might want to evaluate before choosing a welding trade school.

Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welding vocational school you pick is accredited by either a regional or a national agency. There are two 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, for instance Welding Technology. So confirm 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 agency, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping make sure that you obtain a superior education, the accreditation may also help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not offered in Ellamore WV for non-accredited schools. Finally, for those states or municipalities that mandate licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited as well.

Job Placement and Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of welding degree or certificate programs are provided in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Other schools will help place you in an apprenticeship or a job upon graduation. Find out if the schools you are reviewing assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. The schools should have relationships with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. Older schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can utilize for placements. These programs can help students find employment and develop associations within the Ellamore WV welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that enroll in an educational program and complete it. It’s important that the welding school you select has a higher completion rate. A lower rate may indicate that the students who were in the program were unhappy with the instruction, the teachers, or the facilities, and dropped out. The job placement rate is also an indication of the caliber of training. A higher job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Ellamore WV employer relationships to assist students secure employment or apprenticeships after graduation.

Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. Once you have decreased your selection of welder schools to two or three options, 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. In particular, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be working with in the field. If you are unsure 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 Ellamore WV welding contractor if they can give you a few tips.

School Location. Although we already briefly talked about the importance of location, there are a couple of additional issues that we need to cover. You should remember that unless you are able to move, the welder school you pick must be within commuting distance of your Ellamore WV home. If you do decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides moving expenses there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly the case for welding diploma programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school offers an apprenticeship or job placement program, most likely 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 subsequently will desire to work.

Small Classes. Individualized training is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to get lost in larger classes and not obtain much personalized instruction. Find out what the typical class size is for the welder schools you are looking at. Ask if you can attend a few classes so that you can see how much personal attention the students are receiving. While there, talk with some of the students and get their feedback. Similarly, talk to a few of the trainers and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.

Flexible Class Schedules. Some people learn a new trade while still working at their current job. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are looking at are convenient enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Ellamore WV, confirm that the schools you are assessing offer those alternatives. If you can only attend part-time, verify that the school you choose offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make up classes if you you miss any due to work, illness or family circumstances.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Ellamore WV?

Perhaps you live in the Ellamore West 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.

Online Welding Training

Welding is very much a manual type of vocation, and consequently not very compatible with online training. Even so, there are a few online welding classes offered by specific community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Ellamore WV area that can be credited toward a certificate or degree program. These classes primarily cover such subjects as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a foundation to initiate their training and education. However, the most critical point is that you can’t learn how to weld or handle welding materials unless you actually do it. Obviously 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 more appropriate for experienced welders that want to advance their expertise or possibly obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding degree or certificate program, be extremely cautious and confirm that the majority of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Pick the Best Welding Technical Program Ellamore WV

Picking the ideal welder training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare between the programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any welder school that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk 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 school you choose is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Ellamore WV.