How to Pick a Welder Technical School near Unicoi Tennessee

Finding the ideal welding school near Unicoi TN is an important first step to starting your new career as a professional welder. But since there are numerous schools to select from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more significantly, once you have narrowed down your options, how do you pick the right one? Many prospective students begin by looking at the schools that are closest to their homes. When they have located those that are within commuting distance, they are drawn toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are necessary considerations when evaluating welder vocational schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before initiating 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 examine our due diligence checklist, let’s cover a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welding Certificate and Degree Training

There are several options to obtain 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 Engineering or Welding Technology, but are more advanced programs than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available combined with an apprenticeship program. Below are brief explanations of the most prevalent welding programs offered in the Unicoi TN.

• Diploma and Certificate Programs are normally made available by trade and technical schools and require about 1 year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, created largely to teach welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or specialized skills for working welders.
• Associate Degree Programs will take 2 years to finish and are usually offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology provides a more well-rounded education than the diploma or certificate while still supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

Some municipalities and states do have licensing requirements for welders, therefore be sure to check for your location of future employment. If required, the welding school you pick should prepare you for any licensing examinations that you will have to take in addition to furnishing the suitable training to become a qualified welder.

Welder Certification Options

There are a number of organizations that offer welder certifications, which test the knowledge and skill level of those applying. A large number of Unicoi TN employers not only require a certificate or degree from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a renowned organization like 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

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

As formerly mentioned, many states, cities or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those requiring licensing, many also require certification for various types of work. Certification is also a way to demonstrate to employers that you are a highly skilled and experienced welder. So just as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and make sure that the welding vocational school you select preps you for certification as needed.

How to Select a Welding Technical Program

When you have chosen the credential you would like to earn, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can begin to compare schools. As you can imagine, there are numerous welder trade and technical schools in the Unicoi TN area. That’s why it’s necessary to decide up front what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have previously discussed a couple of important 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 looked at. After all, the school you pick is going to furnish the instruction that will be the foundation of your new career as a welder. So below are some additional factors you may want to evaluate before choosing a welding technical school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welder technical school you select is accredited by either a national or a regional organization. There are 2 standard kinds 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, such as Welding Technology. So confirm that the program you select is accredited, not just the school alone. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping make sure that you get a superior education, the accreditation can also help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available in Unicoi TN for schools that are not accredited. Also, for those states or local governments that mandate licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited as well.

Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. Many welding diploma or degree programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Other schools will assist in placing you in a job or an apprenticeship upon 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 larger network of graduates that they can rely upon for placements. These programs can help students find employment and develop relationships within the Unicoi TN welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that start an academic program and finish it. It’s important that the welder school you pick has a high completion rate. A reduced rate may indicate 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 an indication of the caliber of training. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of Unicoi TN employer relationships to assist students obtain employment or apprenticeships after graduation.

Up-to-date Equipment and Facilities. Once you have narrowed down your choice of welding programs to 2 or 3 possibilities, you should think out going to the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Verify that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be instructed on are modern. Specifically, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be working with on the job. 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 Unicoi TN welding professional if they can give you some suggestions.

School Location. Although we previously briefly talked about the relevance of location, there are a few additional points that we should cover. You should bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the welder program you select needs to be within commuting distance of your Unicoi TN home. If you do opt to attend an out-of-state school, besides relocation costs there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly true for welder diploma programs offered by community colleges. Also, if the school offers 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 subsequently will wish to work.

Smaller Classes. Individualized training is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to be overlooked in larger classes and not get much one-on-one training. Ask what the average class size is for the welder programs you are looking at. Inquire if you can attend a few classes so that you can witness just how much personal attention the students are receiving. While there, talk with some of the students and get their evaluations. Similarly, talk with some of the teachers and find out what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they hold.

Flexible Class Scheduling. Many people learn a new profession while still employed at their current job. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are considering are convenient enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Unicoi TN, make certain that the schools you are considering provide those choices. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, confirm that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Unicoi TN?

Perhaps you live in the Unicoi Tennessee 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 Welding Certificate and Degree Programs

Welding is very much a hands-on kind of trade, and therefore not very compatible with training online. However, there are some online welding courses offered by various community colleges and trade schools in the greater Unicoi TN area that may count toward a degree or certificate program. These classes mainly deal with such topics as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a novice a basis to start their education and training. However, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or work with welding materials until you actually do it. Obviously that can’t be done online. These skills need to be learned in an on-campus setting or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is better suited for experienced welders that want to advance their expertise or perhaps earn a more advanced degree. So if you should come across an online welding certificate or degree program, be very careful and confirm that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Choose the Ideal Welding Trade School Unicoi TN

Selecting the best welding school will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a must that any welder training program that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their personal welding machine to train on. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Unicoi TN.