How to Choose a Welder Training Class near Newnan Georgia

Choosing the ideal welder technical school near Newnan GA is an essential 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 narrowed down your choices, how do you pick the best one? Many prospective students begin by reviewing the schools that are nearest to their residences. When they have identified those that are within commuting distance, they are drawn toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are crucial concerns when reviewing welding trade schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before starting your search for a vocational school to become a welder, it’s wise to create 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 Degree and Certificate Training Programs

There are a number of alternatives available to obtain 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 degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered combined with an apprenticeship program. Following are brief descriptions of the most prevalent welding programs offered in the Newnan GA.

• Diploma and Certificate Programs are normally offered by trade and technical schools and take about one year to complete. They are more hands-on training in scope, created mainly to teach welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or specialized skills for working welders.
• Associate Degree Programs will take two years to complete and are most often offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology offers a more extensive education than the diploma or certificate while still furnishing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.

Many municipalities and states do have licensing requirements for welders, so make sure to check for your location of future employment. As required, the welder school you pick should prepare you for any licensing examinations that you will have to take in addition to providing the suitable training to become a professional welder.

Welding Certification Options

There are multiple institutions that provide welding certifications, which test the knowledge and skill level of those applying. A large number of Newnan GA employers not only demand a degree or certificate from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a highly regarded organization like the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are available dependent on the kind of work that the welder does. Some of the things that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to

• Operate in compliance with specific codes
• Work with specified metal thicknesses
• Work with certain kinds of welds
• Perform according to contract specifications

As already stated, some cities, states or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those requiring licensing, a number additionally require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a means to prove to employers that you are a highly skilled and experienced welder. So just as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and make certain that the welder trade school you select preps you for certification as needed.

How to Choose a Welder Tech School

When you have decided on the credential you would like to earn, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to assess schools. As you can imagine, there are many welder trade and vocational schools in the Newnan GA area. That’s why it’s necessary to decide in advance what qualifications your selected school must have. We have previously covered 2 important ones that many people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. As mentioned, although they are very important qualifiers, they are not the only ones that need to be considered. After all, the school you decide on is going to furnish the training that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So following are more factors you may need to evaluate before selecting a welder technical school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welding vocational school you decide on is accredited by either a national or a regional organization. There are two basic types 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, such as Welding Technology. So make certain that the program you select is accredited, not just the school alone. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping ensure that you receive a quality education, the accreditation may also help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not offered in Newnan GA for schools that are not accredited. Also, for those states or local governments that mandate licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited also.

Job Placement and Apprenticeship Programs. Many welding degree or certificate programs are offered 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 reviewing help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. These schools must have partnerships 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 placements. These programs can help students find employment and establish associations within the Newnan GA welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an instructional program and complete it. It’s important that the welder program you pick has a high completion rate. A reduced rate may mean that the students who joined the program were unhappy with the training, the teachers, or the facilities, and dropped out. 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 Newnan GA employer relationships to assist students obtain employment or apprenticeships after graduation.

Modern Equipment and Facilities. After you have narrowed down your selection of welding schools to 2 or 3 possibilities, you should think out visiting the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Confirm that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be instructed on are up-to-date. Specifically, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be working with 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. Otherwise, ask a local Newnan GA welding contractor if they can give you some tips.

School Location. Even though we previously briefly discussed the relevance of location, there are a couple of additional issues that we need to deal with. You should keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the welding program you pick must be within commuting distance of your Newnan GA home. If you do choose to attend an out-of-state school, apart from relocation expenses there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially the case for welding diploma programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school offers a job placement or apprenticeship program, most likely their placements are within the school’s local community. So the location of the school needs to be in a region or state where you subsequently will desire to work.

Small Classes. Individualized instruction is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to be overlooked in larger classes and not get much one-on-one training. Find out what the typical class size is for the welder programs you are reviewing. Ask if you can attend some classes so that you can witness just how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, talk with several of the students and get their feedback. Also, talk with a couple of the teachers and ask what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they have earned.

Convenient Class Schedules. Some people learn a new trade while still working at their current job. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are looking at are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Newnan GA, verify that the schools you are reviewing offer those alternatives. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you choose offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the protocol is to make up classes should you miss any because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Newnan GA?

Perhaps you live in the Newnan Georgia 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.

Online Welding Training Programs

Welding is truly a hands-on kind of profession, and therefore not extremely compatible with training online. However, there are some online welding programs offered by various community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Newnan GA area that can count toward a degree or certificate program. These classes mainly deal with such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a basis to begin their training and education. However, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or handle welding materials until you actually do it. Naturally that can’t be performed online. These skills must be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is more appropriate for experienced welders that desire to advance their expertise or perhaps attain a more advanced degree. So if you should come across an online welding degree or certificate program, be extremely careful and make sure that the greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Pick the Best Welding Tech School Newnan GA

Choosing the right welding training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have covered 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 welder school that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional welder in Newnan GA.