How to Select a Welding Training Class near Brownfield Texas
Enrolling in the ideal welding vocational school near Brownfield TX is an important first step to beginning your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to select from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have narrowed down your options, how do you select the best one? Many people begin by looking at the schools that are nearest to their homes. Once they have found those that are within commuting distance, they are drawn toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are important considerations when evaluating welding technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before starting your search for a vocational school to become a welder, it’s sensible 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 Programs
There are several alternatives available to obtain training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can earn a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Engineering or Welding Technology, but are more advanced courses than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered along with an apprenticeship program. Below are brief descriptions of the most common welding programs offered in the Brownfield TX.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are normally made available by trade and technical schools and take about 1 year to complete. They are more hands-on training in nature, designed mainly 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 complete and are usually 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 prepares students to enter the workforce.
A number of states and municipalities do have licensing prerequisites for welders, so don’t forget to find out for your location of future employment. As needed, the welding school you select should prepare you for any licensing examinations that you will have to take in addition to providing the appropriate training to become a professional welder.
Welder Certification Options
There are various institutions that provide welding certifications, which test the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Numerous Brownfield TX employers not only require a certificate or degree from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a renowned agency like 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 things that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to
- Operate in compliance with specific codes
- Work with specific metal thicknesses
- Work with specific kinds of welds
- Operate based on contract specifications
As already mentioned, many 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 knowledgeable welder. So just as with licensing, check the requirements for your local area and confirm that the welding technical school you decide on readies you for certification if needed.
How to Pick a Welder Technical Program
After you have decided on the credential you want to attain, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to evaluate schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous welder trade and technical schools in the Brownfield TX area. That’s why it’s important to establish up front what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have previously discussed 2 significant ones that many people consider first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As mentioned, although they are essential qualifications, they are not the only ones that should be considered. After all, the school you decide on is going to provide the training that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So following are more factors you might need to consider before selecting a welder tech school.
Accreditation. It’s essential that the welder trade school you pick is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are two 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, for example Welding Technology. So verify that the program you pick is accredited, not just the school alone. Additionally, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping make sure that you obtain a superior education, the accreditation can also help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered in Brownfield TX for non-accredited schools. 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. Many welding certificate or degree programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will assist in placing you in a job or an apprenticeship upon graduation. Ask if the schools you are reviewing assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. These schools should have partnerships with local unions and other metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. More established schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can rely upon for placements. These programs can assist students in finding employment and establish relationships within the Brownfield TX welding community.
Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that enroll in an academic program and complete it. It’s important that the welding school you select has a high completion rate. A reduced rate might mean that the students who joined the program were dissatisfied with the training, the teachers, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also an indication of the quality of training. A higher job placement rate will not only confirm that the program has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Brownfield TX contacts to assist students obtain apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.
Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. Once you have limited your selection of welder programs to two or three possibilities, you should consider going to the campuses to look over their facilities. Make sure that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be taught on are up-to-date. In particular, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be using in the field. If you are unsure what to look for, and are currently in an apprenticeship program, ask the master welder you are working under for guidance. If not, ask a local Brownfield TX welding contractor if they can give you a few suggestions.
School Location. Although we previously briefly covered the importance of location, there are a couple of additional points that we should address. You should remember that unless you can relocate, the welder program you choose must be within driving distance of your Brownfield TX home. If you do choose to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation expenses there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly true for welder certificate programs offered by community colleges. Also, if the school provides 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 an area or state where you ultimately will desire to work.
Smaller Classes. One-on-one training is important for a manual trade such as welding. It’s easy to be lost in bigger classes and not get much one-on-one instruction. Ask what the average class size is for the welding programs you are considering. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of classes so that you can observe how much personal attention the students are receiving. While there, speak with a few of the students and get their opinions. Similarly, chat with a couple of the trainers and find out what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they hold.
Flexible Class Schedules. Many people learn a new trade while still working at their present job. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are considering are convenient enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Brownfield TX, make certain that the schools you are reviewing offer those alternatives. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family circumstances.
Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Brownfield TX?
Perhaps you live in the Brownfield Texas 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.
Brownfield, Texas
Brownfield lies in the center of Terry County, within the southern portion of the South Plains and Llano Estacado. The city rests on a windblown deposit called the Blackwater Draw Formation, which is underlain by a thick layer of caliche, referred to locally as the "Caprock". Beneath the caliche layer lies fluvial deposits called the Ogallala Formation, which contains a portion of the vast Ogallala Aquifer. The Caprock Escarpment, about 50 miles east, forms a rather precipitous drop of about 1,000 feet (305 m) and exposes various geologic layers. In early days, climbing the Caprock Escarpment was not easy for horse-drawn covered wagons.
The only terrain variation lies at the south end of the city, where Lost Draw carves a channel that runs across the entire county. Lost Draw formed over 10,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age when the climate of the area was much wetter. When the vast glaciers of the north retreated, they left numerous dry river channels crisscrossing the Llano Estacado. When settlers during the 1800s ventured across this area, they often went into these channels expecting to find water; however, unless significant rains had occurred recently, their search was in vain, with many of the parties becoming "lost", hence the name, Lost Draw.
Brownfield lies in a semiarid temperate zone, where high winds and extreme temperature variations are the norm. The summers reach over 100 °F (38 °C) for multiple consecutive days. The winters often fall below freezing for extended periods, but snow remains unusual due to very little precipitation forming in the winter months.
Online Welding Training
Welding is truly a manual kind of vocation, and for that reason not very compatible with online training. However, there are a few online welding classes offered by various community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Brownfield TX area that can be credited toward a certificate or degree program. These classes primarily deal with such topics as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give 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 work with welding materials unless you actually do it. Obviously that can’t be done online. These skills must be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is better suited for seasoned welders that would like to advance their knowledge or perhaps attain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding degree or certificate program, be extremely cautious and make certain that the larger part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.
Find the Ideal Welding Vocational Program Brownfield TX
Selecting the ideal welder school will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any welding training that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their personal welding machine to train on. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. 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 right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional welder in Brownfield TX.
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