Tag Archives: Welding Tech Schools Near Me Blairsden-Graeagle CA 96103

Welding Schools Near Me | How to Become a Welder – Blairsden-Graeagle CA

How to Select a Welding Certification Course near Blairsden-Graeagle California

Blairsden-Graeagle CA welding school studentLocating the ideal welder technical school near Blairsden-Graeagle CA is an important first step to beginning 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 significantly, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you select the right one? A number of prospective students begin by reviewing the schools that are nearest 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 necessary concerns when reviewing welder vocational 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 wise to develop 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.

Welding Certificate and Degree Training Programs

Blairsden-Graeagle CA welder working on pipingThere are multiple options available to obtain training as a welder in a trade or vocational 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 degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available combined with an apprenticeship program. Following are short summaries of the most common welding programs offered in the Blairsden-Graeagle CA.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by technical and trade schools and take about one year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, designed primarily to teach welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or specialized 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 extensive 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, so don’t forget to find out for your location of potential employment. As needed, the welding school you pick should ready you for any licensing examinations that you will have to pass in addition to providing the appropriate training to become a qualified welder.

Welder Certification Options

Blairsden-Graeagle CA welder working on poleThere are several institutions that offer welding certifications, which evaluate the knowledge and skill level of those applying. A large number of Blairsden-Graeagle CA employers not only expect a certificate or degree from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a renowned organization such as the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are offered dependent on the kind of work that the welder does. A few of the things that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to

  • Operate in compliance with specific codes
  • Work with specific metal thicknesses
  • Work with various types of welds
  • Work in compliance with contract specifications

As earlier stated, some cities, states or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those requiring licensing, many also require certification for various types of work. Certification is also a means to demonstrate to employers that you are a highly skilled and qualified welder. So just as with licensing, look into the requirements for your location and make sure that the welder tech school you choose prepares you for certification if needed.

How to Pick a Welder Vocational School

Blairsden-Graeagle CA welder working on carWhen you have decided on the credential you would like to attain, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to compare schools. As you probably know, there are many welder trade and technical schools in the Blairsden-Graeagle CA area. That’s why it’s essential to decide up front what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have previously discussed 2 significant ones that most people consider first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As mentioned, although they are very important qualifiers, they are not the only ones that need to be considered. After all, the school you choose is going to provide the instruction that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So following are some additional factors you may want to consider before selecting a welding trade school.

Accreditation. It’s essential that the welder trade school you decide on is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are two basic types of accreditation. The school may earn Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on an individual program the school offers, for example Welding Technology. So make sure that the program you pick is accredited, not just the school alone. Additionally, 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). In addition to helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, the accreditation may also help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available in Blairsden-Graeagle CA for non-accredited schools. Finally, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited also.

Job Placement and Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous welder diploma or degree programs are provided in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will assist in placing you in an apprenticeship or a job after graduation. Find out if the schools you are looking at assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. The 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 assist students in finding employment and establish associations within the Blairsden-Graeagle CA welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that start an educational program and complete it. It’s important that the welder school you choose has a higher completion rate. A low rate could indicate that the students who enrolled in the program were dissatisfied 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 confirm that the program has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of Blairsden-Graeagle CA contacts to help students obtain employment or apprenticeships upon graduation.

Modern Facilities and Equipment. Once you have decreased your choice of welding schools to two or three options, you should think out going to the campuses to look over 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 comparable 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, consult with the master welder you are working under for guidance. If not, ask a local Blairsden-Graeagle CA welding professional if they can give you a few tips.

School Location. Even though we previously briefly covered the importance of location, there are a couple of additional points that we should address. You should bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the welder school you pick needs to be within commuting distance of your Blairsden-Graeagle CA home. If you do opt to attend an out-of-state school, besides relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly true for welding degree programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school offers an apprenticeship or job placement program, often their placements are within the school’s local community. So the location of the school should be in an area or state where you ultimately will want to work.

Small Classes. One-on-one instruction is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to get lost in larger classes and not receive much personalized instruction. Find out what the usual class size is for the welder schools you are reviewing. Inquire if you can sit in on some classes so that you can witness how much personal attention the students are receiving. While there, speak with a few of the students and get their opinions. Also, talk with a few of the instructors and ask what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they have earned.

Flexible Class Scheduling. Some people learn a new trade while still working at their present job. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are looking at are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Blairsden-Graeagle CA, confirm that the schools you are assessing provide those alternatives. If you can only enroll part-time, make certain that the school you choose offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the policy is to make up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family circumstances.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Blairsden-Graeagle CA?

Perhaps you live in the Blairsden-Graeagle 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.

Graeagle, California

Graeagle is a census-designated place (CDP) located about 60 miles (97 km) from Reno, Nevada and 46 miles (74 km) from Truckee, California in Plumas County, California, United States. The population was 737 at the 2010 census, down from 831 at the 2000 census.

The town of Graeagle was founded in 1916,[3] as a lumber town,[4] and established a post office in 1919 with the moniker of Davies Mill.[5] It was named Graeagle after a naming contest to select a better name than "Davies' Mill;" the winning entry contracted "Grey Eagle Creek" to Graeagle.[6] This name may have some connection with Edward D Baker, the "Gray Eagle of Republicanism," who was in the mining region in 1856 while stumping the state for Frémont.[5]

Graeagle Lumber Company was owned by the California Fruit Exchange and employed hundreds in logging, lumber production and to manufacture box shook (boxes for picking and shipping fruit and vegetables) from the 1920s to the 1950s. Modernization closed the mill in 1956, the box factory in 1957 and the town was acquired by the West family in 1959.[7][8][9]

Online Welding Classes

pipe welder at work in Blairsden-Graeagle CAWelding is very much a hands-on type of trade, and therefore not extremely suitable for online training. Even so, there are some online welding programs offered by certain community colleges and trade schools in the greater Blairsden-Graeagle CA area that may count toward a degree or certificate program. These classes mainly cover such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a novice a basis to initiate their education and training. However, the most important point is that you can’t learn how to weld or handle welding materials until you actually do it. Clearly that can’t be accomplished online. These skills need to be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is more appropriate for seasoned welders that want to advance their expertise or perhaps earn a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding degree or certificate program, be extremely cautious and verify that the larger part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Pick the Right Welding Trade Program Blairsden-Graeagle CA

Picking the best welder school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any welding training program that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their personal welding machine to train on. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each program provides unique options for certification also. Probably the best way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional welder in Blairsden-Graeagle CA.

 

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