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Welding Schools Near Me | How to Become a Welder – Wilton ME

How to Pick a Welder Certification Class near Wilton Maine

Wilton ME welding school studentFinding the right welding vocational school near Wilton ME is an important first step to beginning your new occupation 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 options, how do you pick the right one? Many people begin by looking at the schools that are nearest to their residences. Once they have identified those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and tuition cost are necessary considerations when reviewing welder trade schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before beginning your search for a trade school to become a welder, it’s wise to establish a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we explore our due diligence checklist, let’s cover a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welder Certificate and Degree Training Programs

Wilton ME welder working on pipingThere are several options to receive training as a welder in a trade or technical 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 made available along with an apprenticeship program. Following are short descriptions of the most typical welding programs available in the Wilton ME.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are normally made available by trade and technical schools and require about one year to complete. 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 supplemental skills for experienced welders.
  • Associate Degree Programs will take two years to finish 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 furnishing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.

A number of states and municipalities do have licensing prerequisites for welders, so be sure to find out for your location of future employment. As needed, the welder school you pick should ready you for any licensing exams that you will need to take in addition to supplying the appropriate training to become a qualified welder.

Welding Certification Choices

Wilton ME welder working on poleThere are multiple organizations that offer welding certifications, which evaluate the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Numerous Wilton ME employers not only demand a certificate or degree from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a respected agency such as the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are offered based upon the kind of work that the welder performs. Just some of the skills that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

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

As already mentioned, some cities, states or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those calling for licensing, a number additionally require certification for different types of work. Certification is also a means to prove to employers that you are a highly skilled and experienced welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your location and verify that the welding vocational school you choose preps you for certification if needed.

How to Pick a Welding Tech School

Wilton ME welder working on carAs soon as you have decided on the credential you want to earn, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to compare schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous welding trade and vocational schools in the Wilton ME area. That’s why it’s important to establish 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 qualifications, they are not the only ones that must be looked at. After all, the school you select is going to provide the education that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So below are some additional factors you might want to evaluate before choosing a welder trade school.

Accreditation. It’s essential that the welder vocational school you pick is accredited by either a regional or a national agency. There are 2 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, such as Welding Technology. So verify that the program you choose is accredited, not just the school alone. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping make sure that you obtain a superior education, the accreditation can also assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable in Wilton ME for non-accredited schools. Finally, for those states or municipalities that mandate licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited as well.

Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. Many welder degree or diploma programs are provided combined with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will help place you in an apprenticeship or a job upon graduation. Find out if the schools you are reviewing help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. The schools must have partnerships with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. Older schools may have a more substantial network of graduates that they can utilize for placements. These programs can help students find employment and establish associations within the Wilton ME welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that enroll in an educational program and complete it. It’s crucial that the welding school you pick has a high completion rate. A reduced rate could mean that the students who joined the program were dissatisfied with the training, 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 trade, but also that it has the network of Wilton ME contacts to assist students obtain 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 consider going to the campuses to look over their facilities. Verify that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date. In particular, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be working with in the field. If you are not sure 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 Wilton ME welding professional if they can give you a few tips.

School Location. Even though we already briefly talked about the relevance of location, there are a few additional points that we need to address. You should bear in mind that unless you have the ability to move, the welding program you select must be within commuting distance of your Wilton ME home. If you do decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, apart from moving costs there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly true for welding diploma programs offered by community colleges. Also, if the school offers an apprenticeship or job placement program, often 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 possible to be overlooked in larger classes and not receive much one-on-one instruction. Ask what the typical class size is for the welding schools you are reviewing. Inquire if you can sit in on some classes so that you can observe just how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, talk with several of the students and get their opinions. Similarly, speak with a couple of the instructors and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they have earned.

Flexible Class Schedules. Many people learn a new trade while still employed at their present job. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are looking at are convenient enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Wilton ME, make sure that the schools you are considering offer those alternatives. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you choose offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Wilton ME?

Perhaps you live in the Wilton Maine 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.

Wilton, Maine

The land replaced an invalidated 1727 grant by Massachusetts to veterans for service in the French and Indian Wars.[4] The first grant (now part of Manchester, New Hampshire) was originally dubbed Harrytown after a particularly dangerous Native American,[5] then renamed Tyngstown for Captain William Tyng, leader of the expedition of "snowshoe men" that killed him in 1703.[6] Abraham Butterfield, a settler from Wilton, New Hampshire, paid the cost of incorporation in 1803 to have the new town named after his former residence.[7]

Wilton is known for being the location of Maine's first cotton mill, started in 1810 by Solomon Adams.[8] In 1876, George Henry Bass (1855–1925) founded G.H. Bass & Co. and became the best-known businessman in Wilton's history. Bass shoes (including those worn by Charles Lindbergh during his Atlantic crossing and Admiral Byrd in his expeditions to Antarctica) were made exclusively in Wilton for more than a century until 1998. By then the Bass family had sold out,[9] and in 1998 Bass' parent company, Phillips-Van Heusen, moved operations overseas.

John Russell Bass (b. 1878), son of G. H. Bass, was treasurer for the firm and served as Maine delegate to the Republican national convention in 1920, 1944 and 1952. The company built much of its success on the Bass penny weejun, introduced in 1936 and said to be based on Norwegian fisherman's shoes. The style was an instant hit, and became a staple on college campuses across the nation. The shoe was later renamed the Leavitt penny weejun; it is no longer made in Wilton.[10]

Online Welder Certificate and Degree Programs

pipe welder at work in Wilton MEWelding is very much a manual type of trade, and for that reason not extremely compatible with training online. However, there are a small number of online welding classes offered by specific community colleges and technical schools in the greater Wilton ME area that may be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These courses primarily cover such topics as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help provide a beginner a basis to initiate their education and training. Nevertheless, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials unless you actually do it. Naturally that can’t be done online. These skills have to be learned in an on-campus setting or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is better suited for experienced welders that want to advance their knowledge or possibly earn a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding certificate or degree program, be very cautious and verify that the greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Select the Best Welding Vocational School Wilton ME

Picking the best welder training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare among the programs you are considering. It’s a necessity that any welder school that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. 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 context, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each training program provides different options for certification as well. Probably the best way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional welder in Wilton ME.

 

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