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Welding Schools Near Me | How to Become a Welder – Watertown MN

How to Find the Right Welder Trade School near Watertown Minnesota

Watertown MN welding school studentSelecting the ideal welder trade school near Watertown MN is an important first step to starting your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are numerous schools to pick from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more significantly, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you select the right one? A number of prospective students begin by reviewing the schools that are closest to their residences. Once they have found those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are necessary issues when reviewing welding trade schools, but they are not the only ones. Other considerations 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 delve into our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welding Degree and Certificate Training Programs

Watertown MN welder working on pipingThere are several options available to receive training as a welder in a technical or trade school. You can obtain a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced courses than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered along with an apprenticeship program. Below are short summaries of the most typical welding programs available in the Watertown MN.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually made available by trade and technical schools and take about a year to finish. They are more hands-on training in scope, designed largely to develop welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or specialized skills for experienced welders.
  • Associate Degree Programs will take two years to finish and are most often offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology furnishes 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 requirements for welders, therefore be sure to find out for your location of potential employment. As required, the welding school you select should prepare you for any licensing exams that you will need to take in addition to supplying the appropriate training to become a qualified welder.

Welder Certification Options

Watertown MN welder working on poleThere are various institutions that offer welding certifications, which evaluate the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Numerous Watertown MN employers not only expect a certificate or degree from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a respected organization such as the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are available 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

  • Operate in compliance with specific codes
  • Work with certain metal thicknesses
  • Work with certain kinds of welds
  • Perform according to contract specifications

As previously mentioned, many cities, states or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those mandating licensing, some also require certification for different kinds 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, look into the requirements for your location and make certain that the welding technical school you choose preps you for certification as needed.

How to Select a Welder Vocational Program

Watertown MN welder working on carAs soon as you have chosen the credential you want to attain, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can start to assess schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of welding trade and technical schools in the Watertown MN area. That’s why it’s necessary to establish in advance what qualifications your selected school must have. We have already discussed 2 important ones that many people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. As mentioned, although they are essential qualifiers, they are not the only ones that must be looked at. After all, the school you decide on is going to furnish the instruction that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So below are some additional factors you may want to evaluate before picking a welding trade school.

Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welding vocational school you select is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are two standard 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 example Welding Technology. So verify that the program you pick is accredited, not just the school itself. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping make sure that you receive a superior education, the accreditation can also help in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable in Watertown MN for non-accredited schools. Finally, for those states or municipalities that mandate licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited also.

Job Placement and Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of welding certificate or degree programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Some 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 should have relationships 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 help students find employment and develop associations within the Watertown MN welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that begin an educational program and finish it. It’s essential that the welder program you choose has a high completion rate. A reduced rate might indicate that the students who enrolled in the program were dissatisfied with the instruction, the teachers, 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 confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Watertown MN employer relationships to help students secure employment or apprenticeships after graduation.

Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. After you have decreased your selection of welder schools to two or three possibilities, you should consider going to the campuses to inspect their facilities. Make sure that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are modern. Specifically, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be using in the field. If you are uncertain 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 Watertown MN welding professional if they can give you some tips.

School Location. Although we previously briefly covered the significance of location, there are a couple of additional issues that we need to deal with. You should bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the welding school you pick must be within driving distance of your Watertown MN home. If you do decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, apart from relocation expenses there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly true for welder degree programs offered by community colleges. Also, 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 an area or state where you subsequently will want to work.

Smaller Classes. Personalized instruction is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to be lost in larger classes and not obtain much one-on-one instruction. Find out what the typical class size is for the welding programs you are looking at. Ask if you can attend a couple of classes so that you can witness just how much individual attention the students are receiving. While there, speak with several of the students and get their opinions. Also, talk with a few of the instructors and ask what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they have earned.

Flexible Class Scheduling. Many people learn a new trade while still working at their present job. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Watertown MN, make sure that the schools you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only enroll part-time, verify that the school you decide on offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make up classes should you miss any because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Watertown MN?

Perhaps you live in the Watertown Minnesota 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.

Watertown, Minnesota

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 4,205 people, 1,564 households, and 1,075 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,623.6 inhabitants per square mile (626.9/km2). There were 1,697 housing units at an average density of 655.2 per square mile (253.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.8% White, 0.3% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population.

There were 1,564 households of which 40.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.3% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.22.

The median age in the city was 34.3 years. 29.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30.8% were from 25 to 44; 22.7% were from 45 to 64; and 9.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.2% male and 50.8% female.

Online Welding Schools

pipe welder at work in Watertown MNWelding is very much a hands-on kind of vocation, and consequently not very suitable for online training. Even so, there are a small number of online welding courses offered by specific community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Watertown MN area that can be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These classes mainly deal with such subjects as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a basis to begin their training and education. Nevertheless, 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 done online. These skills have to be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is more appropriate for experienced welders that want to advance their expertise or perhaps obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding degree or certificate program, be very cautious and verify that the greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Choose the Ideal Welding Vocational Program Watertown MN

Choosing the right welder training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any welding school that you are considering 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 instruction should provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers unique options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Watertown MN.

 

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