How to Find the Right Welding Training Program near Catasauqua Pennsylvania
Enrolling in the right welding vocational school near Catasauqua PA is an important first step to starting your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to pick from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more significantly, once you have fine tuned your choices, how do you pick the right one? A number of prospective students begin by reviewing the schools that are nearest to their homes. Once they have identified those that are within driving distance, they gravitate toward the least costly one. Yes, location and tuition cost are necessary concerns when examining welding vocational 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 trade school to become a welder, it’s wise to create a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we delve into our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.
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Welding Certificate and Degree Training
There are multiple alternatives available to get training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can obtain 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 in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Below are short summaries of the most common welding programs offered in the Catasauqua PA area.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally made available by trade and technical schools and take about one year to finish. They are more hands-on training in scope, fashioned largely to develop welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or supplemental skills for experienced welders.
- Associate Degree Programs will take 2 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 supplying the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.
Some municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, so don’t forget to find out for your location of potential employment. If needed, 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.
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Welder Certification Choices
There are various institutions that offer welding certifications, which test the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Many Catasauqua PA employers not only expect a degree or certificate from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a respected organization such as the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are available dependent on the kind of work that the welder performs. A few of the skills that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to
- Work in compliance with specific codes
- Work with certain metal thicknesses
- Work with specific kinds of welds
- Operate in compliance with contract specifications
As already stated, some states, cities or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those requiring licensing, some additionally require certification for different types of work. Certification is also a way to demonstrate to employers that you are an extremely skilled and qualified welder. So just as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and make sure that the welder trade school you decide on preps you for certification if needed.
Points to Ask Welder Trade Schools
Once you have decided on the credential you want to earn, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can begin to evaluate schools. As you probably know, there are a large number of welding trade and technical schools in the Catasauqua PA area. That’s why it’s necessary to establish in advance what qualifications your selected school must have. We have previously discussed 2 important 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 need to be looked at. After all, the school you pick is going to furnish the education that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So below are more factors you may need to evaluate before choosing a welding vocational school.
Accreditation. It’s essential that the welder trade school you decide on is accredited by either a regional or a national organization. There are 2 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 confirm that the program you pick is accredited, not just the school itself. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, the accreditation may also help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable in Catasauqua PA for non-accredited schools. Also, for those states or local governments that mandate licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited also.
Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. Many welder degree or diploma programs are provided in conjunction 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 reviewing help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. The schools must have associations 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 rely upon for referrals. These programs can help students find employment and develop associations within the Catasauqua PA welding community.
Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that enroll in an educational program and complete it. It’s crucial that the welding program you pick has a higher completion rate. A lower rate may signify that the students who were in the program were unhappy with the instruction, the instructors, or the facilities, and dropped out. The job placement rate is also a good indicator of the caliber of training. A high job placement rate will not only verify that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of Catasauqua PA contacts to assist students obtain apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.
Modern Equipment and Facilities. Once you have narrowed down your selection of welding programs to two or three possibilities, you should think out visiting the campuses to look over their facilities. Confirm 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 currently in an apprenticeship program, consult with the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Catasauqua PA welding professional if they can give you some tips.
School Location. Although we already briefly covered the importance of location, there are a few additional issues that we should address. You should remember that unless you are able to move, the welding program you choose must be within driving distance of your Catasauqua PA home. If you do decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, apart from relocation expenses there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially true for welding certificate programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school provides an apprenticeship or job placement program, most 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 subsequently will want to work.
Small Classes. One-on-one instruction is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to get lost in larger classes and not get much one-on-one instruction. Ask what the usual class size is for the welding schools you are considering. Inquire if you can attend a few classes so that you can witness just how much personal attention the students are receiving. While there, speak with several of the students and get their feedback. Similarly, talk to a couple of the teachers and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.
Convenient Class Schedules. Some people learn a new trade while still employed at their current job. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are convenient enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Catasauqua PA, make certain that the schools you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, verify that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make up classes if you you miss any because of work, illness or family circumstances.
Online Welder Courses
Welding is truly a hands-on kind of trade, and therefore not very suitable for training online. However, there are a small number of online welding classes offered by certain community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Catasauqua PA area that can be credited toward a certificate or degree program. These courses primarily cover such topics as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a foundation to initiate their education and training. Nevertheless, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or handle welding materials unless you actually do it. Clearly that can’t be accomplished online. These skills have to be learned in an on-campus setting or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is more appropriate for seasoned welders that desire to advance their expertise or perhaps earn a more advanced degree. So if you should discover an online welding degree or certificate program, be very careful and confirm that the majority of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.
Top Evening Welding Trade Schools Catasauqua PA
Selecting the ideal welder training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. You originally stopped by our website because you had an interest in Top Evening Welding Trade Schools and wanted more information on the topic Best Online Welding Trade Schools. However, as we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any welder school that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their personal welding machine to train on. Classroom education should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each program provides different options for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to sit in on 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 occupation as a professional welder in Catasauqua PA.
Other Pennsylvania Welder Locations
Catasauqua, Pennsylvania
Catasauqua, referred to colloquially as Catty, is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, settled in 1805 and chartered as a borough in 1853. Catasauqua is a suburb of Allentown, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. Catasauqua is included in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the New York City-Newark, New Jersey, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area.
Historically, manufacturing was Catasauqua's principal industry, and, in 1839, it was the location of the first manufactured anthracite iron in the nation. Catasauqua's population in 1910 was 5,250. The population was 6,436 at the 2010 census. The word Catasauqua is shortened to "Catty" in local dialect when speaking of the place.
Catasauqua is located at 40°39′11″N 75°28′3″W / 40.65306°N 75.46750°W / 40.65306; -75.46750 (40.652995, -75.467627).[3] Nearby large communities include Allentown three miles (5 km) to the south and Bethlehem seven miles (11 km) to the east.
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