How to Choose the Right Welder Degree Program near Folcroft Pennsylvania
Selecting the right welder trade school near Folcroft PA is an essential first step to beginning your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are a lot of schools to pick from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more significantly, once you have fine tuned your choices, how do you select the best one? Many people begin by reviewing 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 reviewing welding technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before beginning your search for a trade school to become a welder, it’s prudent to create a list of qualifications that your chosen 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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Welder Degree and Certificate Programs
There are multiple options 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 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. Following are brief explanations of the most prevalent welding programs available in the Folcroft PA area.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are normally made available by technical and trade schools and require about one year to finish. They are more hands-on training in scope, fashioned primarily to teach welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or additional skills for working welders.
- Associate Degree Programs will take two years to finish and are usually offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology provides a more extensive 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 prerequisites for welders, therefore be sure to find out for your location of future employment. If needed, the welding school you choose should ready you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to providing the appropriate training to become a professional welder.
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Welder Certification Choices
There are a number of institutions that provide welder certifications, which assess the knowledge and skill level of those applying. A large number of Folcroft PA employers not only require a certificate or degree 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 type of work that the welder does. Some of the things that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to
- Work in compliance with specific codes
- Work with certain metal thicknesses
- Work with certain types of welds
- Perform based on contract specifications
As formerly stated, various states, cities or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those calling for licensing, a number additionally require certification for various kinds of work. Certification is also a way to prove to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable welder. So similarly as with licensing, check the requirements for your location and make sure that the welding trade school you select prepares you for certification if needed.
Points to Ask Welder Vocational Schools
As soon as you have decided on the credential you want to earn, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can start to compare schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are many welder vocational and trade schools in the Folcroft PA area. That’s why it’s important to establish up front what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have already covered a couple of 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 school you select is going to provide the training that will be the foundation of your new career as a welder. So below are some additional factors you might want to consider before picking a welding technical school.
Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welder trade school you choose is accredited by either a regional or a national agency. There are two standard types of accreditation. The school may receive Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a single program the school has, such as Welding Technology. So confirm that the program you choose is accredited, not just the school itself. Additionally, 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 ensure that you receive a quality education, the accreditation might also assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not offered in Folcroft 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 as well.
Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. Numerous welding diploma or degree programs are provided in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Other schools will assist in placing you in an apprenticeship or a job after graduation. Ask if the schools you are looking at assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. These schools must have relationships with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can place their students. Older schools may have a more substantial network of graduates that they can utilize for referrals. These programs can help students find employment and establish associations within the Folcroft PA welding community.
Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that begin an educational program and complete it. It’s crucial that the welding program you select has a higher completion rate. A low rate may signify that the students who joined the program were unhappy with the training, the teachers, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also an indication of the quality of training. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of Folcroft PA employer relationships to help students secure apprenticeships or employment after graduation.
Modern Facilities and Equipment. After you have narrowed down your choice of welding programs to 2 or 3 possibilities, you should consider going to the campuses to inspect their facilities. Verify that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be taught on are modern. In particular, 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 already in an apprenticeship program, ask the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Folcroft PA welding professional if they can give you a few suggestions.
School Location. Although we already briefly discussed the significance of location, there are a few additional issues that we should deal with. You should keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the welding program you pick must be within commuting distance of your Folcroft PA home. If you do opt to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation expenses there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly the case for welding degree programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school offers a job placement or apprenticeship program, most likely 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.
Small Classes. Personalized training is essential for a manual trade such as welding. It’s possible to get overlooked in bigger classes and not obtain much one-on-one training. Find out what the usual class size is for the welder schools you are looking at. Inquire if you can sit in on a couple of classes so that you can witness just how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, talk with several of the students and get their evaluations. Also, talk with a few of the trainers and find out what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they hold.
Convenient Class Scheduling. Lots of folks learn a new trade while still employed at their present job. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are convenient enough to satisfy your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Folcroft PA, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, verify that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the policy is to make up classes if you you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Online Welding Courses
Welding is truly a hands-on type of trade, and consequently not very suitable for training online. Having said that, there are a few online welding courses offered by specific community colleges and technical schools in the greater Folcroft PA area that may be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These classes mainly cover such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a basis to begin their education and training. Nevertheless, the most important point is that you can’t learn how to weld or work with welding materials until you actually do it. Clearly that can’t be accomplished online. These skills must be learned in an on-campus setting or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is better suited for experienced welders that desire to advance their expertise or possibly 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 greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.
Best Night Welding Colleges Folcroft PA
Choosing the ideal welding school will probably 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 Best Night Welding Colleges and wanted more information on the topic Compare Accredited Welding Colleges. However, as we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any welder training program that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their own welding machine to train on. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every training program provides different options for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional welder in Folcroft PA.
Other Pennsylvania Welder Locations
Folcroft, Pennsylvania
The origin of Folcroft can be traced back to the mid 1600s and early settlements of New Sweden. Delmar Drive was once part of Calcon Hook Road. Calcon is the Swedish word for "turkey," and Hook is the Swedish word for "road". The original road was a Leni Lenape trail called "Turkey's Neck Trail" by the settlers, and was no more than 4 feet (1.2 m) wide.
Originally productive farmlands, it became a residential suburb of Philadelphia with the construction of the Pennsylvania Railroad through the area in 1874. A passenger stop was built and named Folcroft, or "leafy fields".
Folcroft is located in southeastern Delaware County at 39°53′36″N 75°16′51″W / 39.89333°N 75.28083°W / 39.89333; -75.28083 (39.893212, -75.280881).[5] It is bordered to the south by Darby Creek and to the west by its tributary, Muckinipattis Creek. To the south across Darby Creek is Tinicum Township. Neighboring boroughs are Norwood to the west, Glenolden to the northwest, Collingdale to the north, and Sharon Hill to the northeast. Darby Township is also to the northeast, and the city of Philadelphia is to the east, across Darby Creek.
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