Tag Archives: Welding Trade Schools Near Me Compton CA 90220

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

How to Select a Welder Certification Class near Compton California

Compton CA welding school studentSelecting the right welding vocational school near Compton CA is an essential first step to launching your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are a lot of schools to choose from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more significantly, once you have fine tuned your choices, how do you select the right one? Most people begin by reviewing the schools that are closest to their homes. Once they have found those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the least costly one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are necessary issues when evaluating welder vocational schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before starting your search for a trade school to become a welder, it’s sensible to establish a list of qualifications that your chosen 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 Certificate and Degree Programs

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

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are normally made available by technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They are more hands-on training in scope, designed mainly to develop 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 two 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 certificate or diploma while still providing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.

Some municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, so don’t forget to find out for your location of future employment. If required, the welder school you pick should ready you for any licensing exams that you will have to pass in addition to supplying the appropriate training to become a professional welder.

Welding Certification Options

Compton CA welder working on poleThere are various institutions that provide welder certifications, which evaluate the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Many Compton CA employers not only demand a certificate or degree from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a renowned organization such as the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are available based on the kind of work that the welder does. Some of the skills that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to

  • Work 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 requiring licensing, a number additionally require certification for different types of work. Certification is also a means to demonstrate to employers that you are a highly skilled and knowledgeable welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your location and make certain that the welder tech school you select prepares you for certification if needed.

How to Decide on a Welder Vocational Program

Compton CA welder working on carAs soon as you have decided on the credential you would like to attain, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to compare schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of welder vocational and trade schools in the Compton CA area. That’s why it’s necessary to decide up front what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have already covered two important 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 should be looked at. After all, the program you pick is going to provide the instruction that will be the foundation of your new career as a welder. So following are some additional factors you may need to evaluate before choosing a welding trade school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welding vocational school you decide on is accredited by either a regional or a national 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 specific program the school has, for instance 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 acknowledged accrediting organization, for example 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 might also help in getting financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered in Compton CA for non-accredited schools. Also, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited as well.

Apprenticeship and Job Placement Programs. Numerous welder certificate or degree programs are provided in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will help place you in a job or an apprenticeship after graduation. Find out if the schools you are considering assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. The schools must have associations with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can place their students. More established schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can rely upon for referrals. These programs can assist students in finding employment and develop associations within the Compton CA welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an academic program and finish it. It’s important that the welder school you choose has a higher completion rate. A reduced rate could mean that the students who joined 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 quality of training. A higher job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of Compton CA contacts to help students secure apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.

Up-to-date Equipment and Facilities. Once you have limited your selection of welding schools to 2 or 3 options, you should think out visiting the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Verify that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date. In particular, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be working with on the job. 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. Otherwise, ask a local Compton CA welding contractor if they can give you some tips.

School Location. Although we already briefly talked about the importance of location, there are a couple of additional issues that we need to deal with. You should keep in mind that unless you have the ability to relocate, the welder program you choose must be within driving distance of your Compton CA home. If you do decide 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 diploma programs offered by community colleges. Also, if the school offers a job placement or apprenticeship program, most 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 ultimately will want to work.

Small Classes. Personalized instruction is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to get overlooked in bigger classes and not receive much personalized training. Ask what the usual class size is for the welder programs you are reviewing. Ask if you can attend a couple of classes so that you can see just how much individual attention the students are receiving. While there, talk with a few of the students and get their evaluations. 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 Schedules. Some people learn a new profession while still working at their current job. Check to see 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 Compton CA, make certain that the schools you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make up classes if you you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Compton CA?

Perhaps you live in the Compton 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.

Compton, California

Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States,[11] situated south of downtown Los Angeles. Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city to incorporate. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 96,455.[12] It is known as the "Hub City" due to its geographic centrality in Los Angeles County.[11] Neighborhoods in Compton include Sunny Cove, Leland, Downtown Compton, and Richland Farms. The city is generally a working class city with some middle-class neighborhoods, and is home to a relatively young population, at an average 25 years of age, compared to the American median age of 35 (2010 data).

In 1784, the Spanish Crown deeded a tract of over 75,000 acres (300 km2) to Juan Jose Dominguez in this area. The tract was named Rancho San Pedro. Dominguez's name was later applied to the Dominguez Hills area south of Compton. The tree that marked the original northern boundary of the rancho still stands at the corner of Poppy and Short streets.[13][citation needed] The rancho was subdivided and parcels were sold within the Californios of Alta California until the lands were ceded after the Mexican-American war in 1848. American immigrants acquired most of the rancho lands after 1848.[clarification needed]

In 1867, Griffith Dickenson Compton led a group of 30 pioneers to the area. These families had traveled by wagon train south from Stockton, California, in search of ways to earn a living other than the rapid exhaustion of gold fields. Originally named Gibsonville, after one of the tract owners, it was later called Comptonville. However, to avoid confusion with the Comptonville located in Yuba County, the name was shortened to Compton.[11] Compton's earliest settlers were faced with terrible hardships as they farmed the land in bleak weather to get by with just the barest subsistence. The weather continued to be harsh, rainy and cold, and fuel was difficult to find. To gather firewood it was necessary to travel to mountains close to Pasadena. The round trip took almost a week. Many in the Compton party wanted to relocate to a friendlier climate and settle down, but as there were two general stores within traveling distance—one in the pueblo of Los Angeles, the other in Wilmington—they eventually decided to stay put.[11]

Online Welder Certificate and Degree Programs

pipe welder at work in Compton CAWelding is very much a manual type of profession, and therefore not very compatible with online training. Having said that, there are some online welding classes offered by various community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Compton CA area that can count toward a degree or certificate program. These classes primarily cover such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a basis to begin their education and training. Nevertheless, the most important point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials until you actually do it. Naturally that can’t be done online. These skills have 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 perhaps earn a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding certificate or degree program, be very cautious and make certain that the majority of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.

Pick the Ideal Welding Tech Program Compton CA

Choosing the right welding school will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any welding training that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new trade as a professional welder in Compton CA.

 

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