How to Find the Right Welder Degree Program near Whiting Maine

Enrolling in the ideal welder technical school near Whiting ME is an important first step to beginning your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are a lot of schools to choose from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have narrowed down your alternatives, how do you pick the best one? A number of prospective students begin by reviewing the schools that are closest to their residences. Once they have identified those that are within commuting distance, they are drawn toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and tuition cost are necessary issues when evaluating welding technical 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 trade school to become a welder, it’s prudent to establish a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we explore our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welder Certificate and Degree Training Courses

There are a number of options available to obtain training as a welder in a technical or trade 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 made available along with an apprenticeship program. Below are brief descriptions of the most prevalent welding programs offered in the Whiting ME.

• Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by trade and technical schools and take about one year to complete. They are more hands-on training in nature, designed largely to teach welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or additional skills for working welders.
• Associate Degree Programs will take 2 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.

Some municipalities and states do have licensing requirements for welders, so be sure to check for your location of future employment. As required, the welding school you pick should ready you for any licensing exams that you will have to pass in addition to providing the proper training to become a professional welder.

Welding Certification Options

There are a number of organizations that provide welder certifications, which evaluate the skill level and knowledge of those applying. Numerous Whiting ME employers not only demand a degree or certificate from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a highly regarded agency like the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are available dependent on the kind of work that the welder performs. Just some of the skills that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

• Operate in compliance with specific codes
• Work with specific 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, some additionally require certification for different 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, check the requirements for your location and verify that the welding tech school you select prepares you for certification as needed.

How to Decide on a Welder Vocational School

When you have decided on the credential you want to earn, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to assess schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of welding trade and vocational schools in the Whiting ME area. That’s why it’s essential to establish in advance what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have already covered a couple of important ones that most people consider first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As stated, although they are very important qualifications, they are not the only ones that should be considered. After all, the school you pick is going to provide the education that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So following are more factors you might need to consider before picking a welding tech school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welder technical school you select is accredited by either a national or a regional organization. There are 2 standard types of accreditation. The school may receive Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a single program the school has, for instance Welding Technology. So make sure 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 organization, for example the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, the accreditation might also help in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable in Whiting ME for schools that are not accredited. Also, for those states or local governments that mandate licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited as well.

Apprenticeship and Job Placement Programs. A large number of welding certificate or degree programs are provided combined with an apprenticeship program. Other schools will assist in placing you in a job or an apprenticeship after graduation. Ask if the schools you are looking at help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. These schools must have relationships with local unions and other metal working businesses to which they can place their students. More established schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can utilize for placements. These programs can assist students in finding employment and establish relationships within the Whiting ME welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an instructional program and finish it. It’s essential that the welding program you pick has a higher completion rate. A reduced rate may indicate that the students who were in the program were unhappy with the instruction, the teachers, or the facilities, and dropped out. The job placement rate is also a good indicator of the quality of training. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the program has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Whiting ME contacts to assist students obtain apprenticeships or employment after graduation.

Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. Once you have limited your selection of welder programs to two or three options, you should consider visiting the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Verify 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 using 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 Whiting ME welding contractor if they can give you some tips.

School Location. Even though we previously briefly talked about the significance of location, there are a couple of additional points that we should cover. You should keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the welding program you choose must be within commuting distance of your Whiting ME home. If you do decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides moving costs there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially true for welding diploma programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school offers an apprenticeship or job placement program, more than likely their placements are within the school’s local community. So the location of the school needs to be in an area or state where you ultimately will wish to work.

Smaller Classes. One-on-one training is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to be lost in larger classes and not obtain much one-on-one instruction. Find out what the average class size is for the welding programs you are considering. Inquire if you can sit in on a couple of classes so that you can observe just how much personal attention the students are receiving. While there, talk with some of the students and get their evaluations. Also, speak with a couple of the teachers and ask what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they have earned.

Flexible Class Schedules. Lots of folks learn a new profession while still employed at their current job. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are looking at are convenient enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Whiting ME, verify that the schools you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the policy is to make up classes should you miss any because of illness, work or family circumstances.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Whiting ME?

Perhaps you live in the Whiting 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.

Online Welding Training

Welding is truly a hands-on type of vocation, and therefore not extremely suitable for online training. However, there are a few online welding courses offered by certain community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Whiting ME area that can be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These courses mainly cover such subjects as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help provide 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 work with welding materials until you actually do it. Naturally that can’t be accomplished online. These skills need to be learned in an on-campus setting or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is more appropriate for seasoned welders that desire to advance their expertise or perhaps obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should come across 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 setting.

Pick the Right Welding Technical School Whiting ME

Selecting the best welding training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. As we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any welding school that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each program provides unique options for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend a few 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 proper training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Whiting ME.