How to Find the Right Welding Certification Program near Armada Michigan
Choosing the right welder trade school near Armada MI is an important 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 determine which ones to consider? And more notably, once you have fine tuned your choices, how do you pick the right one? Most people start by looking at the schools that are closest to their residences. When they have located those that are within driving distance, they are drawn toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and tuition cost are important 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 vocational school to become a welder, it’s prudent to develop a list of qualifications that your chosen 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 Programs
There are a number of options available to obtain training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can earn a a certificate, a diploma or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are offered in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Below are short explanations of the most common welding programs offered in the Armada MI.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally made available by trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They are more hands-on training in scope, designed largely to teach welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or supplemental 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 furnishes a more extensive education than the diploma or certificate while still providing the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.
Many municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, so be sure to find out for your location of potential employment. As needed, the welding school you select should prep you for any licensing examinations that you will need to pass in addition to supplying the suitable training to become a professional welder.
Welder Certification Alternatives
There are a number of organizations that provide welding certifications, which evaluate the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Many Armada MI employers not only require a degree or certificate from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a highly regarded organization such as the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are offered based on the type of work that the welder performs. Some of the things that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to
- Operate in compliance with specific codes
- Work with specific metal thicknesses
- Work with specific kinds of welds
- Operate according to contract specifications
As earlier stated, many cities, states or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those calling for licensing, some also require certification for different kinds 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, check the requirements for your location and make certain that the welding vocational school you select preps you for certification as needed.
How to Select a Welder Vocational School
When you have chosen the credential you would like to obtain, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to evaluate schools. As you can imagine, there are a large number of welder trade and technical schools in the Armada MI area. That’s why it’s necessary to decide in advance what qualifications your selected school must have. We have previously discussed two important ones that many people look at first, which are location and tuition cost. As mentioned, although they are very important qualifiers, they are not the only ones that should be looked at. After all, the school you decide on is going to furnish the training that will be the foundation of your new career as a welder. So below are more factors you may want to consider before picking a welder technical school.
Accreditation. It’s very important that the welder tech school you decide on is accredited by either a regional or a national agency. There are two basic types of accreditation. The school may earn Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a specific program the school offers, for instance Welding Technology. So make sure that the program you pick is accredited, not just the school itself. Additionally, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping make sure that you get a quality education, the accreditation may also assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available in Armada MI for non-accredited schools. Finally, for those states or municipalities that require licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited also.
Apprenticeship and Job Placement Programs. Many welder diploma or degree programs are provided in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Other schools will help place you in an apprenticeship or a job upon graduation. Ask if the schools you are considering assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. The schools should have partnerships with local unions and other metal working businesses to which they can place their students. More established schools may have a more substantial network of graduates that they can utilize for referrals. These programs can assist students in finding employment and develop associations within the Armada MI welding community.
Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that begin an educational program and finish it. It’s essential that the welding program you select has a high completion rate. A low rate might mean that the students who were in the program were unhappy with the instruction, the instructors, or the facilities, and quit. 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 an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Armada MI employer relationships to assist students secure apprenticeships or employment after graduation.
Modern Facilities and Equipment. After you have decreased your selection of welder schools to two or three possibilities, you should think out going to the campuses to inspect their facilities. Verify that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be trained on are modern. In particular, 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. If not, ask a local Armada MI welding professional if they can give you a few pointers.
School Location. Although we previously briefly discussed the relevance of location, there are a few additional points that we need to address. You should keep in mind that unless you have the ability to move, the welder program you select needs to be within driving distance of your Armada MI home. If you do decide to attend an out-of-state school, apart from moving expenses there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly true for welding degree programs offered by community colleges. Additionally, if the school offers an apprenticeship or job placement 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 desire to work.
Smaller Classes. Individualized training is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to get overlooked in bigger classes and not get much individualized instruction. Ask what the average class size is for the welding programs you are reviewing. Inquire if you can sit in on some classes so that you can witness how much personal attention the students are receiving. While there, speak with several of the students and get their feedback. Also, talk to some of the teachers and find out what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they have earned.
Flexible Class Scheduling. Some people learn a new trade while still working at their present job. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are convenient enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Armada MI, make certain that the schools you are considering offer those choices. If you can only enroll part-time, make sure that the school you decide on offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make up classes should you miss any because of illness, work or family emergencies.
Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Armada MI?
Perhaps you live in the Armada Michigan 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.
Armada, Michigan
Armada (| ɑːˈmɑːdə |) is a village in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,730 at the 2010 census. The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate places the population at 1,657. The village is located within Armada Township. It is most commonly known for its annually held Armada Fair.
The first record of land purchased in the area that became Armada Township was made by John Proctor in 1825. Twenty-three more families had bought land in the area by 1832. Until 1832 the area was part of Ray Township. At that time a meeting was called to organize a separate township. The vote won by 2 and Armada Township was born. When the discussion of a name for the new township came up, legend says that "Hosea Northrup jumped up and shouted the name 'Armada'". The name was accepted.
The village, originally known as Burke's Corners, was founded by Elijah Burke in 1833. The village began to prosper when the old Indian trail, known today as Armada Ridge Road, was laid out as a roadway in the early 1830s. The road soon became part of the immigrant road network between Romeo and Port Huron.
Online Welding Degree and Certificate Programs
Welding is very much a manual type of profession, and consequently not very compatible with online training. Having said that, there are a few online welding courses offered by certain community colleges and trade schools in the greater Armada MI area that can count toward a certificate or degree program. These courses mainly cover such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help provide a beginner a foundation to initiate their education and training. However, the most critical point is that you can’t learn how to weld or handle welding materials unless you actually do it. Clearly that can’t be done online. These skills must be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is better suited for seasoned welders that want to advance their knowledge or possibly earn a more advanced degree. So if you should discover an online welding degree or certificate program, be extremely cautious and make certain that the majority of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.
Find the Best Welding Technical School Armada MI
Choosing the ideal welding training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare among the programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any welding training that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their personal welding machine to train on. Classroom education should provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification also. 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 some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Armada MI.
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