How to Select a Welding Training Class near Richland South Carolina

Finding the ideal welder vocational school near Richland SC is an essential first step to launching your new occupation 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 importantly, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you pick the right one? Many people begin by looking at the schools that are nearest to their homes. When they have identified those that are within driving distance, they are drawn toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and tuition cost are necessary concerns when reviewing welding trade schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before starting your search for a trade 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 cover a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welding Certificate and Degree Training Courses

There are a number of options available to receive 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 offered 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 short explanations of the most common welding programs offered in the Richland SC.

• Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by trade and technical schools and take about a year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, fashioned primarily to develop welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or additional 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 provides a more well-rounded education than the certificate or diploma while still providing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.

Some municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, so make sure to check for your location of future employment. If needed, the welding school you choose should prep you for any licensing exams that you will need to pass in addition to providing the suitable training to become a qualified welder.

Welding Certification Options

There are several organizations that offer welder certifications, which test the skill level and knowledge of those applying. A large number of Richland SC employers not only expect 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 on the type of work that the welder does. Just some of the things that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

• Work in compliance with specific codes
• Work with specific metal thicknesses
• Work with various kinds of welds
• Perform in compliance with contract specifications

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

How to Select a Welding Technical School

When you have decided on the credential you would like to attain, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can begin to compare schools. As you probably know, there are numerous welder trade and vocational schools in the Richland SC area. That’s why it’s important to determine up front what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have already discussed two significant ones that many 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 must be looked at. After all, the program you pick is going to provide the education that will be the foundation of your new career as a welder. So below are some additional factors you may want to evaluate before selecting a welding vocational school.

Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welding trade school you choose 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, such as Welding Technology. So make sure that the program you select is accredited, not just the school alone. Additionally, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping ensure that you get a quality education, the accreditation may also help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable in Richland SC for schools that are not accredited. Also, for those states or municipalities that require licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited as well.

Job Placement and Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of welding degree or diploma programs are provided in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will assist in placing you in an apprenticeship or a job upon graduation. Find out if the schools you are reviewing assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. These schools must have associations 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 referrals. These programs can assist students in finding employment and establish relationships within the Richland SC welding community.

Completion and Job Placement 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 school you choose has a high completion rate. A reduced rate may signify that the students who joined the program were unhappy with the instruction, the teachers, or the facilities, and dropped out. The job placement rate is also an indication of the caliber of training. A higher job placement rate will not only affirm that the program has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Richland SC contacts to help students obtain apprenticeships or employment after graduation.

Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. Once you have narrowed down your choice of welder schools to 2 or 3 options, you should consider visiting the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Verify that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date. Specifically, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be using in the field. If you are unsure 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 Richland SC welding contractor if they can give you a few pointers.

School Location. Although we already briefly discussed the relevance of location, there are a few additional issues that we should address. You should bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the welding school you select needs to be within driving distance of your Richland SC 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 particularly the case for welding degree programs offered by community colleges. Additionally, if the school provides a job placement or apprenticeship program, often their placements are within the school’s regional community. So the location of the school should be in a region or state where you ultimately will wish to work.

Small Classes. Individualized training is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to get overlooked in larger classes and not obtain much one-on-one instruction. Ask what the average class size is for the welder programs you are considering. Ask if you can attend a few classes so that you can observe how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, talk with a few of the students and get their evaluations. Also, speak with a few of the teachers and ask what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they hold.

Flexible Class Scheduling. Many people learn a new profession while still working at their present job. Check to see that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to satisfy your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Richland SC, confirm that the schools you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family circumstances.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Richland SC?

Perhaps you live in the Richland South Carolina 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 Classes

Welding is very much a hands-on type of trade, and for that reason not very suitable for online training. Even so, there are a small number of online welding courses offered by various community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Richland SC area that may count toward a certificate or degree program. These courses mainly deal with such topics as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a foundation to start their training and education. However, the most significant 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 must be learned in an on-campus setting or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is more appropriate for seasoned welders that would like to advance their expertise or possibly obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should discover an online welding certificate or degree program, be extremely careful and make sure that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Find the Best Welding Technical School Richland SC

Choosing the right welding school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any welder training that you are assessing 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 education needs to provide a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you choose is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional welder in Richland SC.