How to Enroll In a Welder Trade School near Elkton South Dakota

Choosing the ideal welding trade school near Elkton SD is an essential first step to beginning 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 notably, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you pick the best one? Most people start by checking out the schools that are closest to their residences. Once they have identified those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the least costly one. Yes, location and tuition cost are necessary concerns when evaluating welder technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other considerations include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before starting your search for a trade school to become a welder, it’s sensible to establish a list of qualifications that your chosen 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 several options to receive training as a welder in a trade or vocational school. You can earn a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are offered in Welding Engineering or Welding Technology, but are more advanced degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Following are short descriptions of the most prevalent welding programs offered in the Elkton SD.

• Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually made available by technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They are more hands-on training in nature, created primarily to teach welding skills. They can provide 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 provides a more extensive education than the certificate or diploma while still providing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.

A number of states and municipalities do have licensing requirements for welders, so make sure to check for your location of potential employment. If needed, the welder school you select should ready you for any licensing examinations that you will need to pass in addition to providing the appropriate training to become a qualified welder.

Welder Certification Choices

There are multiple organizations that offer welder certifications, which test the skill level and knowledge of those applying. Many Elkton SD employers not only demand a certificate or degree from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a respected agency such as the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are offered based on the type of work that the welder performs. Just some of the skills that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to

• Work in compliance with specific codes
• Work with specific metal thicknesses
• Work with specific types of welds
• Work in compliance with contract specifications

As previously mentioned, some cities, states or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those calling for licensing, many 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 similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your location and make sure that the welding technical school you select prepares you for certification as needed.

How to Decide on a Welder Trade School

Once you have decided on the credential you want to earn, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to assess schools. As you can imagine, there are numerous welding vocational and trade schools in the Elkton SD area. That’s why it’s essential to decide up front what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have already discussed two significant ones that many 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 need to be considered. After all, the program you choose is going to furnish the training that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So following are some additional factors you may want to evaluate before picking a welding trade school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welding vocational school you choose is accredited by either a regional or a national agency. There are two basic types of accreditation. The school may attain Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a specific program the school has, for example Welding Technology. So make certain 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 ensure that you get a superior education, the accreditation can also help in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not offered in Elkton SD for non-accredited schools. Also, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited also.

Job Placement and Apprenticeship Programs. Many welding diploma or degree programs are provided combined with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will assist in placing you in a job or an apprenticeship upon graduation. Find out if the schools you are considering assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. These schools should have associations with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can place their students. Older schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can utilize for referrals. These programs can assist students in finding employment and establish relationships within the Elkton SD welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that enroll in an instructional program and finish it. It’s essential that the welder school you choose has a higher completion rate. A lower rate could mean that the students who enrolled in the program were dissatisfied with the instruction, the instructors, or the facilities, and dropped out. The job placement rate is also an indication of the quality of training. A higher job placement rate will not only verify that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of Elkton SD contacts to assist students secure apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.

Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. After you have decreased your selection of welding programs to 2 or 3 possibilities, you should consider visiting the campuses to look over their facilities. Confirm that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are modern. In particular, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be using in the field. If you are not sure what to look for, and are currently in an apprenticeship program, consult with the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Elkton SD welding professional if they can give you some tips.

School Location. Although we previously briefly discussed the relevance of location, there are a few additional issues that we need to address. You should keep in mind that unless you can move, the welding school you pick must be within driving distance of your Elkton SD home. If you do choose to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation expenses there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly the case for welder certificate programs offered by community colleges. Also, if the school provides an apprenticeship or job placement program, more than likely their placements are within the school’s regional community. So the location of the school needs to be in an area or state where you ultimately will want to work.

Smaller Classes. Individualized training is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to be lost in bigger classes and not receive much personalized training. Find out what the usual class size is for the welding programs you are reviewing. Inquire if you can attend some classes so that you can observe how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, speak with several of the students and get their feedback. Also, talk with some of the trainers and find out what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they hold.

Flexible Class Scheduling. Some people learn a new profession while still employed at their present job. Check to see that the class schedules for the schools you are looking at are convenient enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Elkton SD, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, confirm that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the policy is to make up classes if you you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Elkton SD?

Perhaps you live in the Elkton South Dakota 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 Training Programs

Welding is very much a hands-on type of profession, and consequently not very compatible with online training. Having said that, there are a few online welding courses offered by various community colleges and trade schools in the greater Elkton SD area that may count toward a certificate or degree program. These courses mainly deal with such topics as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a foundation to begin 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. Obviously that can’t be performed 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 expertise or perhaps obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should discover an online welding degree or certificate program, be very careful and make sure that the greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Choose the Ideal Welding Tech School Elkton SD

Choosing the ideal welder school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare among the programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any welder school that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small 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 curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Elkton SD.