How to Find the Right Welding Trade School near Wittenberg Wisconsin

Finding the right welder school near Wittenberg WI is an important first step to launching your new occupation 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 alternatives, how do you select the best one? A number of people begin by looking at the schools that are closest to their homes. When they have identified those that are within commuting distance, they are drawn toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are important concerns when examining welder 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 vocational school to become a welder, it’s prudent to create a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we explore our due diligence checklist, let’s cover a little bit about how to become a welder.

Welder Degree and Certificate Training Classes

There are multiple options to obtain training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can obtain a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are offered in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced programs than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available combined with an apprenticeship program. Following are brief descriptions of the most prevalent welding programs available in the Wittenberg WI.

• Certificate and Diploma Programs are normally offered by technical and trade schools and take about one year to finish. They are more hands-on training in scope, created primarily to develop welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or additional 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 offers a more extensive education than the certificate or diploma while still furnishing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.

A number of states and municipalities do have licensing requirements for welders, therefore be sure to find out for your location of potential employment. As required, the welding school you choose should prep you for any licensing examinations that you will need to take in addition to supplying the proper training to become a qualified welder.

Welder Certification Choices

There are various organizations that provide welder certifications, which test the skill level and knowledge of those applying. Numerous Wittenberg WI employers not only expect a degree or certificate from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a renowned agency like the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are offered dependent on the kind of work that the welder performs. A few of the things that certification can acknowledge 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 stated, some cities, states or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those calling for licensing, a number also require certification for various types of work. Certification is also a way to demonstrate to employers that you are an extremely skilled and knowledgeable welder. So similarly as with licensing, check the requirements for your location and confirm that the welder trade school you select readies you for certification as needed.

How to Select a Welder Vocational School

After you have chosen the credential you would like to obtain, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can start to assess schools. As you can imagine, there are a large number of welding trade and technical schools in the Wittenberg WI area. That’s why it’s essential to determine in advance what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have already covered two significant ones that many people consider 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 considered. After all, the school you pick is going to provide the training that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So following are some additional factors you might need to consider before selecting a welder vocational school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welding trade school you choose is accredited by either a regional or a national agency. There are 2 basic kinds of accreditation. The school may attain Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a single program the school has, for example Welding Technology. So confirm that the program you select is accredited, not just the school alone. Additionally, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping ensure that you receive a superior education, the accreditation can also help in getting financial aid or student loans, which are often not available in Wittenberg WI 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.

Apprenticeship and Job Placement Programs. A large number of welder degree or diploma programs are provided combined with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will help place you in an apprenticeship or a job upon graduation. Ask if the schools you are looking at assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. The schools should have associations with local unions and various 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 placements. These programs can help students find employment and establish associations within the Wittenberg WI welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that start an instructional program and finish it. It’s crucial that the welding program you choose has a higher completion rate. A low rate could indicate that the students who enrolled in the program were unhappy 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 high job placement rate will not only verify that the program has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of Wittenberg WI employer relationships to help students secure employment or apprenticeships after graduation.

Modern Equipment and Facilities. Once you have narrowed down your selection of welder schools to two or three options, you should think out going to the campuses to inspect their facilities. Confirm that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be taught on are up-to-date. Specifically, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be working with in the field. If you are uncertain what to look for, and are currently in an apprenticeship program, ask the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Wittenberg WI welding contractor if they can give you a few suggestions.

School Location. Even though we already briefly talked about the significance of location, there are a few additional points that we should address. You should keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the welder program you choose must be within commuting distance of your Wittenberg WI home. If you do opt to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly the case for welder certificate programs offered by community colleges. Additionally, if the school offers a job placement or apprenticeship program, more than likely their placements are within the school’s local community. So the location of the school should be in a region or state where you ultimately will wish to work.

Small Classes. Personalized training is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to get overlooked in bigger classes and not get much personalized training. Find out what the usual class size is for the welder programs you are looking at. Inquire if you can sit in on some classes so that you can see just how much individual attention the students are getting. While there, speak with a few of the students and get their feedback. Also, talk to a few of the trainers and ask what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.

Flexible Class Scheduling. Lots of folks learn a new trade while still employed at their current job. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are considering are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Wittenberg WI, make certain that the schools you are assessing offer those alternatives. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make up classes should you miss any due to illness, work or family responsibilities.

Will You Be Attending Welding School Near Wittenberg WI?

Perhaps you live in the Wittenberg Wisconsin 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 truly a manual kind of profession, and therefore not very suitable for training online. Even so, there are a small number of online welding courses offered by certain community colleges and technical schools in the greater Wittenberg WI area that may count toward a certificate or degree program. These courses primarily deal with such subjects as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a foundation to start their education and training. Nevertheless, the most critical 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 done online. These skills have to be learned in an on-campus environment 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 degree or certificate program, be extremely cautious and verify that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.

Select the Ideal Welding Technical Program Wittenberg WI

Picking the right welding school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any welding training that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer 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 satisfy your needs. Each training program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new career as a professional welder in Wittenberg WI.