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Welding Schools Near Me | How to Become a Welder – Delano CA

How to Select a Welding Degree Program near Delano California

Delano CA welding school studentChoosing the ideal welding vocational school near Delano CA is an important first step to beginning your new career as a professional welder. But since there are numerous schools to select from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more notably, once you have fine tuned your choices, how do you select the right one? A number of people begin by checking out the schools that are closest to their residences. When they have identified those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and tuition cost are important issues when examining welder technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other considerations 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 wise 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.

Welder Degree and Certificate Training Courses

Delano CA welder working on pipingThere are several options available to receive training as a welder in a trade or vocational school. You can receive a a certificate, a diploma or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced courses than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered along with an apprenticeship program. Following are short explanations of the most common welding programs offered in the Delano CA.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are normally offered by technical and trade schools and take about one year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, created largely 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 complete and are most often offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology furnishes 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 states and municipalities do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore be sure to find out for your location of potential employment. If required, the welder school you pick should prep you for any licensing exams that you will have to pass in addition to furnishing the suitable training to become a qualified welder.

Welder Certification Choices

Delano CA welder working on poleThere are several institutions that provide welding certifications, which assess the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Numerous Delano CA employers not only require a certificate or degree from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a renowned agency like the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are offered based upon the kind of work that the welder does. Some of the things that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

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

As already stated, many states, cities or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those mandating licensing, many additionally require certification for various kinds of work. Certification is also a means to prove to employers that you are an extremely skilled and qualified welder. So just as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and confirm that the welder vocational school you select readies you for certification if needed.

How to Decide on a Welder Trade Program

Delano CA welder working on carOnce you have chosen the credential you would like to earn, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to assess schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are many welder trade and technical schools in the Delano CA area. That’s why it’s essential to decide up front what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have already covered a couple of significant ones that many people look at first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As stated, although they are essential qualifiers, they are not the only ones that must be looked at. 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 below are some additional factors you might need to evaluate before picking a welder technical school.

Accreditation. It’s essential that the welder tech school you select is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are two basic kinds of accreditation. The school may earn Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a single program the school offers, for instance Welding Technology. So make sure that the program you pick is accredited, not just the school itself. Also, 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 make sure that you obtain an excellent education, the accreditation can also help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable in Delano CA for schools that are not accredited. 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. Various other schools will help place you in an apprenticeship or a job after graduation. Ask if the schools you are considering assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. These schools must have relationships with local unions and other metal working businesses to which they can refer 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 associations within the Delano CA welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that begin an academic program and complete it. It’s important that the welder program you pick has a higher completion rate. A reduced rate could mean that the students who were in the program were unhappy with the training, the instructors, or the facilities, and dropped out. The job placement rate is also a good indicator of the caliber of training. A higher job placement rate will not only confirm that the program has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Delano CA employer relationships to help students obtain apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.

Modern Equipment and Facilities. Once you have decreased your choice of welder schools to 2 or 3 possibilities, you should consider going to the campuses to look over their facilities. Confirm that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be taught on are up-to-date. In particular, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be using on the job. 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 Delano CA welding professional if they can give you some suggestions.

School Location. Although we already briefly talked about the relevance of location, there are a few additional issues that we need to cover. You should keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the welder program you choose must be within driving distance of your Delano CA home. If you do choose to enroll in an out-of-state school, apart from moving expenses there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly true for welder degree programs offered by community colleges. Also, if the school provides an apprenticeship or job placement program, most 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 desire to work.

Smaller Classes. Individualized instruction is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to get lost in bigger classes and not obtain much one-on-one instruction. Ask what the average class size is for the welder programs you are considering. Ask if you can attend a couple of classes so that you can witness just how much individual attention the students are getting. While there, talk with some of the students and get their evaluations. Similarly, speak with some of the teachers and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.

Flexible Class Scheduling. Many people learn a new trade while still employed at their present job. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are looking at are convenient enough to satisfy your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Delano CA, make certain that the schools you are assessing provide those alternatives. If you can only enroll part-time, verify that the school you choose offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make up classes if you you miss any due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Delano CA?

Perhaps you live in the Delano California 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.

Delano, California

Delano (/dəˈleɪnoʊ/ də-LAY-noh) is a city in Kern County, California, United States. Delano is located 31 miles (50 km) north-northwest of Bakersfield[9] at an elevation of 315 feet (96 m).[1] The population was 52,088 in 2016, up from 38,824 in 2000. It is Kern County's second largest city after Bakersfield.

Agriculture is Delano's major industry. The area is particularly well known as a center for the growing of table grapes.[10] Delano is also home to two California state prisons, North Kern State Prison and Kern Valley State Prison. The Voice of America once operated its largest, most powerful shortwave broadcast facility outside Delano at 35°45′15″N 119°17′7″W / 35.75417°N 119.28528°W / 35.75417; -119.28528. However, the Voice of America ceased broadcasts in October 2007, citing a changing political mission, reduced budgets, and changes in technology.[11]

Delano's two school districts currently operate eight elementary schools, three middle schools, three comprehensive high schools and two alternative high schools. The city has its own police department and contracts with the Kern County Fire Department for fire services, EMS services are privately provided by local company, Delano Ambulance Service.

Online Welding Courses

pipe welder at work in Delano CAWelding is truly a hands-on type of profession, and therefore not very suitable for training online. Even so, there are a few online welding courses offered by specific community colleges and trade schools in the greater Delano CA area that may be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These classes primarily cover such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help provide a beginner a basis to begin their training and education. However, the most important point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials unless you actually do it. Obviously that can’t be accomplished online. These skills must 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 knowledge or possibly earn a more advanced degree. So if you should come across an online welding degree or certificate program, be very careful and confirm that the majority of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.

Find the Best Welding Trade School Delano CA

Choosing the right welder school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare among the programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any welding training program that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own welding machine to train on. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you pick is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Delano CA.

 

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