How to Select a Welder Technical School near Moorefield West Virginia
Enrolling in the ideal welder vocational school near Moorefield WV is an important first step to beginning your new career as a professional welder. But since there are numerous schools to pick from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more notably, once you have fine tuned your options, how do you select the right one? Most prospective students start by checking out the schools that are closest to their homes. Once they have found those that are within driving distance, they are drawn toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and tuition cost are important issues when evaluating welder technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before initiating your search for a vocational 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 talk a little bit about how to become a welder.
Welder Certificate and Degree Training Classes
There are several options to get training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can obtain a diploma, a certificate 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 along with an apprenticeship program. Below are short descriptions of the most common welding programs available in the Moorefield WV.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are normally 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 develop welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or supplemental skills for experienced welders.
- Associate Degree Programs will take 2 years to complete and are usually offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology provides a more well-rounded education than the diploma or certificate while still supplying 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 needed, the welding school you pick should prep you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to supplying the appropriate training to become a professional welder.
Welder Certification Alternatives
There are various organizations that offer welding certifications, which assess the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Numerous Moorefield WV employers not only demand a degree or certificate from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a highly regarded agency such as the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are offered based on the type of work that the welder does. Just some of the things that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to
- Operate in compliance with specific codes
- Work with specific metal thicknesses
- Work with specific types of welds
- Work according to contract specifications
As already mentioned, some states, cities or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those requiring licensing, some also require certification for various kinds of work. Certification is also a means to prove to employers that you are a highly skilled and qualified welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and confirm that the welding trade school you select readies you for certification if needed.
How to Decide on a Welding Trade Program
After you have chosen the credential you want to obtain, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can begin to compare schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are many welding vocational and trade schools in the Moorefield WV area. That’s why it’s essential to determine in advance what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have previously covered two important ones that most people consider 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 choose is going to provide the instruction that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So following are some additional factors you may need to consider before choosing a welding vocational school.
Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welder tech school you choose is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. 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 offers, for instance Welding Technology. So verify that the program you choose is accredited, not just the school itself. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, the accreditation can also assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available in Moorefield WV for schools that are not accredited. Finally, 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 welder certificate or degree programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Some 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 placement program. The schools should have associations with local unions and other metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. More established schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can rely upon for referrals. These programs can help students find employment and develop associations within the Moorefield WV welding community.
Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that enroll in an academic program and complete it. It’s crucial that the welder school you select has a high completion rate. A low rate could signify that the students who joined the program were unhappy with the instruction, the teachers, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also an indication of the quality of training. A high job placement rate will not only verify that the program has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of Moorefield WV contacts to assist students secure apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.
Modern Facilities and Equipment. After you have narrowed down your selection of welding schools to two or three possibilities, you should think out visiting the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Confirm that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be taught on are up-to-date. Specifically, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be using in the field. If you are uncertain 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 Moorefield WV welding contractor if they can give you a few suggestions.
School Location. Even though we previously briefly covered the relevance of location, there are a couple of additional issues that we should deal with. You should keep in mind that unless you can move, the welder program you pick must be within driving distance of your Moorefield WV home. If you do choose to attend an out-of-state school, apart from relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly the case for welding degree programs offered by community colleges. Additionally, if the school offers 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 an area or state where you subsequently will desire to work.
Small Classes. Personalized instruction is essential for a manual trade such as welding. It’s easy to get overlooked in bigger classes and not obtain much personalized instruction. Find out what the usual class size is for the welder schools you are considering. 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 some of the students and get their evaluations. Similarly, talk to a few of the instructors and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.
Flexible Class Scheduling. Lots of folks learn a new trade while still employed at their current job. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are convenient enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Moorefield WV, make sure that the schools you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only enroll part-time, confirm that the school you decide on offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make up classes if you you miss any due to work, sickness or family circumstances.
Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Moorefield WV?
Perhaps you live in the Moorefield 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.
Moorefield, West Virginia
Moorefield is a town in Hardy County, West Virginia, USA. Moorefield is the county seat of Hardy County. It was originally chartered in 1777 and named for Conrad Moore, who owned the land upon which the town was laid out. The population was 2,544 at the 2010 census. Moorefield is located at the confluence of the South Branch Potomac River and the South Fork South Branch Potomac River.
Moorefield is situated in the South Branch Valley along the South Branch of the Potomac River. Native Americans populated this area for centuries, farming along the river and hunting in the surrounding mountains. English settlers began arriving in the early 18th century, attracted by the fertile land. This early settlement was centered on the community of Old Fields, which is located about five miles to the north of present-day Moorefield. Conflict between the settlers and Native American populations broke out during the French and Indian War. Two fortifications guarded the South Branch Valley in the vicinity of Moorefield. Fort Buttermilk was erected in 1756 and garrisoned by Captain Thomas Waggoner's Virginia Regiment Company.[6] A second fortress, Fort Pleasant, situated at Henry Van Meter's Farm at Old Fields, guarded the northern side of the valley and was also garrisoned by Captain Thomas Waggoner's Virginia Regiment Company.[7] In the spring of 1756, soldiers from Forts Buttermilk and Pleasant clashed with Shawnee warriors under Bemino (known to the English as Killbuck) at the Battle of the Trough.
The land on which Moorefield was laid out was owned by Conrad Moore. In 1777, the Virginia General Assembly chartered the town of Moorefield in what was then Hampshire County, Virginia (today Hardy County, West Virginia).[8] When Hardy County was separated from Hampshire County by act of the Virginia General Assembly in 1785, Moorefield was chosen as the county seat.[9] Many of the historic houses in Moorefield display vernacular adaptations of Federal and Greek Revival architecture and date to the last quarter of the 18th century and first quarter of the 19th century. During the American Civil War, Moorefield was the site of a cavalry engagement between Union Brigadier General William W. Averell and Confederate Brigadier General John McCausland on August 7, 1864.
Online Welder Training
Welding is truly a manual kind of profession, and consequently not very suitable for training online. Even so, there are a few online welding programs offered by certain community colleges and trade schools in the greater Moorefield WV area that can be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These courses mainly deal with such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a foundation to start their training and education. Nevertheless, the most important 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 experienced welders that would like to advance their expertise or possibly earn a more advanced degree. So if you should discover an online welding degree or certificate program, be extremely cautious and verify that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.
Select the Best Welding Technical School Moorefield WV
Selecting the best welding training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any welding training that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional welder in Moorefield WV.
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