How to Select a Welder Degree Program near Seneca Kansas

Finding the ideal welder trade school near Seneca KS is an essential first step to beginning your new career as a professional welder. But since there are a lot of schools to select from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more significantly, once you have narrowed down your options, how do you select the best one? Many prospective students begin by checking out the schools that are nearest to their residences. When they have located those that are within commuting distance, they are drawn toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are important considerations when evaluating welding trade schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before initiating your search for a trade school to become a welder, it’s prudent to create a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we examine our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welding Certificate and Degree Training Classes

There are multiple options available to obtain training as a welder in a trade or vocational school. You can receive a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are offered in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced programs than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available combined with an apprenticeship program. Following are short descriptions of the most typical welding programs offered in the Seneca KS.

• Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by technical and trade schools and take about one year to complete. They are more hands-on training in scope, created largely 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 finish and are usually offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology offers a more well-rounded education than the diploma or certificate while still supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

Some municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore don’t forget to find out for your location of future employment. If required, the welder school you select should ready you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to providing the suitable training to become a qualified welder.

Welding Certification Alternatives

There are various organizations that offer welder certifications, which test the skill level and knowledge of those applying. Many Seneca KS employers not only expect a certificate or degree from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a highly regarded agency such as the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are available based on the type of work that the welder does. Just 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 certain kinds of welds
• Operate in compliance with contract specifications

As formerly stated, many cities, states or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those calling for licensing, some additionally require certification for different types of work. Certification is also a means to demonstrate to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and qualified welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your location and verify that the welding technical school you choose readies you for certification as needed.

How to Pick a Welding Vocational Program

Once you have decided on the credential you want to obtain, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to compare schools. As you can imagine, there are numerous welding trade and technical schools in the Seneca KS area. That’s why it’s essential to decide in advance what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have already discussed 2 significant ones that most people look at first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As mentioned, although they are very important qualifications, they are not the only ones that must be looked at. After all, the school you pick is going to provide the instruction that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So below are some additional factors you might need to consider before picking a welder vocational school.

Accreditation. It’s essential that the welding tech school you choose is accredited by either a national or a regional organization. There are two standard kinds of accreditation. The school may earn Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on an individual program the school has, 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 organization, for example the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping make sure that you get a quality education, the accreditation might also help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable in Seneca KS for schools that are not accredited. Finally, for those states or municipalities that mandate licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited also.

Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. A large number of welder degree or certificate programs are provided combined 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 looking at help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. These schools should have associations with local unions and other metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. More established schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can rely upon for referrals. These programs can help students find employment and establish associations within the Seneca KS welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an academic program and complete it. It’s crucial that the welding school you pick has a higher completion rate. A low rate could indicate that the students who were in the program were dissatisfied with the training, the teachers, or the facilities, and dropped out. The job placement rate is also a good indicator of the caliber of training. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the program has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of Seneca KS contacts to help students obtain apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.

Modern Equipment and Facilities. After you have decreased your selection of welder programs to 2 or 3 options, you should consider going to the campuses to look over their facilities. Confirm that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be instructed on are modern. In particular, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be working with on the job. If you are uncertain what to look for, and are currently in an apprenticeship program, ask the master welder you are working under for guidance. If not, ask a local Seneca KS welding professional if they can give you some suggestions.

School Location. Although we previously briefly discussed the significance of location, there are a few additional points that we need to address. You should remember that unless you can move, the welding school you pick needs to be within driving distance of your Seneca KS home. If you do choose to attend an out-of-state school, besides moving expenses there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially the case for welding degree 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 should be in a region or state where you ultimately will want to work.

Smaller Classes. Personalized training is essential for a manual trade such as welding. It’s easy to get lost in larger classes and not get much personalized instruction. Ask what the typical class size is for the welder schools you are considering. Ask if you can sit in on 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 feedback. Also, speak with a couple of the instructors and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.

Flexible Class Scheduling. Lots of folks learn a new profession while still employed at their present job. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are considering are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Seneca KS, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, confirm 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 illness, work or family circumstances.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Seneca KS?

Perhaps you live in the Seneca Kansas 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 Welder Certificate and Degree Programs

Welding is truly a manual type of trade, and for that reason not extremely compatible with training online. Having said that, there are some online welding classes offered by specific community colleges and technical schools in the greater Seneca KS area that can count toward a certificate or degree program. These courses mainly deal with such subjects as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give a novice a basis to start 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. 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 want to advance their expertise or perhaps obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding degree or certificate program, be extremely cautious and confirm that the majority of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.

Find the Right Welding Vocational Program Seneca KS

Picking the best welding training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any welding school that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their personal welding machine to train on. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every program provides different options for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional welder in Seneca KS.