How to Select the Right Welding Training Program near Benzonia Michigan
Locating the right welder trade school near Benzonia MI is an important first step to beginning your new career as a professional welder. But since there are a lot of schools to choose from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more notably, once you have narrowed down your alternatives, how do you select the best one? Many prospective students start by checking out the schools that are nearest to their homes. Once they have identified those that are within driving distance, they are drawn toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are crucial considerations when examining welder trade schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before beginning your search for a vocational school to become a welder, it’s sensible to develop a list of qualifications that your chosen school must have. But before we examine our due diligence checklist, let’s cover a little bit about how to become a welder.
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Welding Certificate and Degree Training Courses
There are multiple options available to receive training as a welder in a trade or vocational school. You can earn a a certificate, a diploma or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Engineering or Welding Technology, but are more advanced programs 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 Benzonia MI area.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually made available by trade and technical schools and require about 1 year to complete. They are more hands-on training in nature, created primarily to develop welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or additional skills for experienced welders.
- Associate Degree Programs will take 2 years to finish and are most often offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology offers a more well-rounded education than the diploma or certificate while still providing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.
Many municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore make sure to find out for your location of future employment. As needed, the welder school you pick should prepare you for any licensing examinations that you will need to pass in addition to supplying the suitable training to become a professional welder.
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Welder Certification Choices
There are multiple organizations that provide welder certifications, which test the skill level and knowledge of those applying. A large number of Benzonia MI employers not only demand a degree or certificate from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a renowned agency like the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are offered based upon the kind of work that the welder performs. Some of the skills that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to
- Work in compliance with specific codes
- Work with specific metal thicknesses
- Work with specific types of welds
- Operate according to contract specifications
As earlier stated, some states, cities or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those requiring licensing, a number 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, check the requirements for your local area and confirm that the welder trade school you select preps you for certification as needed.
Points to Ask Welding Vocational Schools
When you have decided on the credential you would like to attain, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to compare schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous welder trade and vocational schools in the Benzonia MI area. That’s why it’s important to determine up front what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have previously covered two important ones that most 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 considered. After all, the program you select is going to provide the education that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So below are more factors you might want to consider before choosing a welding technical school.
Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welding vocational school you decide on is accredited by either a regional or a national organization. There are two basic 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 offers, for instance Welding Technology. So verify 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, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping make sure that you obtain a quality education, the accreditation might also assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not offered in Benzonia MI 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 Placement Programs. Numerous welding degree or certificate programs are provided in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Some other schools will assist in placing you in a job or an apprenticeship upon graduation. Ask if the schools you are looking at help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. The schools should have associations 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 utilize for referrals. These programs can assist students in finding employment and develop relationships within the Benzonia MI welding community.
Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that enroll in an instructional program and complete it. It’s essential that the welding program you choose has a high completion rate. A reduced rate might mean that the students who were in the program were unhappy with the training, the teachers, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also a good indicator of the caliber of training. A higher job placement rate will not only verify that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Benzonia MI contacts to assist students obtain apprenticeships or employment after graduation.
Up-to-date Equipment and Facilities. Once you have narrowed down your selection of welder programs to 2 or 3 options, you should consider visiting the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Confirm that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be taught on are up-to-date. In particular, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be working with in the field. If you are not sure 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 Benzonia MI welding contractor if they can give you a few suggestions.
School Location. Even though we previously briefly talked about the importance of location, there are a few additional issues that we need to cover. You should bear in mind that unless you have the ability to relocate, the welding program you choose must be within driving distance of your Benzonia MI home. If you do decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially the case 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 regional community. So the location of the school should be in an area or state where you ultimately will desire to work.
Small Classes. Individualized training is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to get lost in larger classes and not receive much one-on-one training. Find out what the usual class size is for the welding schools you are reviewing. Inquire if you can sit in on some classes so that you can experience how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, speak with a few of the students and get their opinions. Also, talk with a couple of the teachers and find out what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they have earned.
Flexible Class Scheduling. Some people learn a new profession while still working at their present job. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Benzonia MI, make certain that the schools you are considering provide those choices. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make up classes if you you miss any because of illness, work or family emergencies.
Online Welder Certificate and Degree Programs
Welding is truly a hands-on type of profession, and therefore not extremely compatible with online training. Even so, there are some online welding programs offered by specific community colleges and technical schools in the greater Benzonia MI area that can count toward a degree or certificate program. These courses mainly deal with such topics as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a basis to start their education and training. Nevertheless, the most important point is that you can’t learn how to weld or handle welding materials unless 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 more appropriate for experienced welders that desire to advance their knowledge or possibly obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding certificate or degree program, be extremely cautious and make certain that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.
Underwater Welding Training Schools Benzonia MI
Choosing the best welder school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new profession. You originally stopped by our website because you had an interest in Underwater Welding Training Schools and wanted more information on the topic Where to Find Accredited Schools for Welders. However, as we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare among the programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any welder training program that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their personal welding machine to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional welder in Benzonia MI.
Other Michigan Welder Locations
Benzonia, Michigan
Benzonia is a village in Benzie County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 497 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Benzonia Township at the southeast end of Crystal Lake on U.S. Highway 31 at the junction with M-115 west.
Benzonia began in 1858 as an educational Christian colony on the model of Oberlin, Ohio. Its founding was under the leadership of Charles E. Bailey. The village, which was once the county seat, was incorporated in 1891.[7]
In 1863 Grand Traverse College was chartered and began here. It was renamed Benzonia College in 1891. In 1900 the college was changed to a preparatory school named Benzonia Academy.[8] The academy continued to function until 1918 when it was closed.[9] In his book Waiting for the Morning Train, historian Bruce Catton captured local history and documented his perspective of growing up in Benzonia as his father was an instructor at the academy.
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