How to Choose a Welder Degree Program near Westmoreland New Hampshire
Choosing the ideal welder vocational school near Westmoreland NH is an important first step to starting your new career as a professional welder. But since there are a lot of schools to pick from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more significantly, once you have narrowed down your alternatives, how do you select the best one? A number of prospective students start by checking out the schools that are closest to their residences. Once they have found those that are within driving distance, they are drawn toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and tuition cost are crucial considerations when examining welding technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other considerations include such things as reputation, accreditation 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 delve into our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.
Welding Degree and Certificate Training Programs
There are multiple alternatives available to receive training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can obtain a a certificate, a diploma or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced programs than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available along with an apprenticeship program. Following are short summaries of the most typical welding programs offered in the Westmoreland NH.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by technical and trade schools and require about one year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, fashioned mainly 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 two years to finish and are most often 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.
Many municipalities and states do have licensing requirements for welders, so be sure to check for your location of future employment. If needed, the welder school you select should ready you for any licensing exams that you will have to pass in addition to supplying the appropriate training to become a qualified welder.
Welder Certification Options
There are several organizations that offer welder certifications, which assess the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Numerous Westmoreland NH employers not only require a degree or certificate from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a highly regarded organization such as the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are offered based upon the kind of work that the welder does. Some of the things that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to
- Work in compliance with specific codes
- Work with certain metal thicknesses
- Work with specific kinds of welds
- Operate in compliance with contract specifications
As previously mentioned, various states, cities or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those mandating licensing, a number also require certification for various kinds of work. Certification is also a way to prove to employers that you are a highly skilled and knowledgeable welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and confirm that the welder vocational school you select prepares you for certification if needed.
How to Decide on a Welding Trade Program
As soon as you have decided on the credential you want to attain, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can begin to assess schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of welder trade and technical schools in the Westmoreland NH area. That’s why it’s important to establish in advance what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have previously covered a couple of important ones that most 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 should be considered. After all, the program you select is going to provide the education that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So below are more factors you may want to evaluate before selecting a welding vocational school.
Accreditation. It’s essential that the welder trade school you decide on is accredited by either a regional or a national organization. There are two basic kinds of accreditation. The school may earn Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a single program the school offers, for instance Welding Technology. So make sure that the program you select is accredited, not just the school itself. Additionally, 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). In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, the accreditation may also help in getting financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not offered in Westmoreland NH for schools that are not accredited. Also, for those states or municipalities that require licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited as well.
Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. Numerous welder diploma or degree programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will assist in placing you in an apprenticeship or a job after graduation. Ask if the schools you are considering help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. These schools should 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 assist students in finding employment and establish associations within the Westmoreland NH welding community.
Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that begin an instructional program and finish it. It’s essential that the welder program you choose has a high completion rate. A low rate could signify that the students who enrolled in the program were dissatisfied 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 high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of Westmoreland NH employer relationships to help students secure apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.
Modern Facilities and Equipment. Once you have limited your selection of welder schools to 2 or 3 possibilities, you should consider going to the campuses to inspect their facilities. Make sure that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be instructed on are up-to-date. In particular, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be using on the job. 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 Westmoreland NH welding professional if they can give you a few pointers.
School Location. Even though we previously briefly covered the relevance of location, there are a couple of additional points that we should address. You should remember that unless you can relocate, the welder school you choose must be within driving distance of your Westmoreland NH home. If you do opt to attend an out-of-state school, apart from relocation expenses there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly the case for welder degree programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school offers an apprenticeship or job placement program, often their placements are within the school’s local community. So the location of the school should be in a region or state where you subsequently will want to work.
Small Classes. One-on-one instruction is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to get lost in bigger classes and not receive much one-on-one instruction. Find out what the average class size is for the welding programs you are looking at. Ask if you can sit in on some classes so that you can experience how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, speak with a few of the students and get their evaluations. Similarly, talk to a few 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 profession while still working at their current 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 at night or on weekends near Westmoreland NH, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you decide on offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make up classes if you you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Westmoreland NH?
Perhaps you live in the Westmoreland New Hampshire 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.
Westmoreland, New Hampshire
Once known as Great Meadow, this town was first granted in 1735 by Governor Jonathan Belcher of Massachusetts as Number 2, second in a line of Connecticut River fort towns designed to protect the colonies from Indian attack. This part of the river was a favorite Indian campsite, and the settlers who came beginning in 1741 were several times victims of attack. When the border between Massachusetts and the Province of New Hampshire was fixed (with Number 2 on the New Hampshire side), the town was regranted in 1752 by Governor Benning Wentworth as Westmoreland, named for John Fane, 7th Earl of Westmorland.[2]
The Park Hill Meetinghouse, built in 1762, has a Paul Revere bell. Considered one of the most beautiful churches in New England, it was moved to its present site by oxen in 1779, and renovated in 1826.[3]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.9 square miles (95.6 km2), of which 35.9 sq mi (93.0 km2) is land and 1.0 sq mi (2.6 km2), or 2.71%, is water. Westmoreland is bounded on the west by the Connecticut River. Hyland Hill, elevation 1,510 feet (460 m) above sea level and the highest point in town, is on the eastern border and although it is now private land, it is a local hiking and hunting destination.
Online Welder Classes
Welding is very much a manual kind of profession, and for that reason not very compatible with training online. However, there are a small number of online welding courses offered by various community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Westmoreland NH area that can count toward a degree or certificate program. These courses primarily cover such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a basis to start their training and education. Nevertheless, the most important point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials unless you actually do it. Naturally that can’t be accomplished 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 desire to advance their knowledge or possibly obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should discover an online welding degree or certificate program, be very careful and confirm that the larger part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.
Pick the Right Welding Trade School Westmoreland NH
Picking the ideal welding training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any welding training that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their own welding machine to train on. Classroom education should provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each program provides different options for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Westmoreland NH.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
1 Reviews 