How to Choose the Right Welder Degree Program near Audubon Pennsylvania
Selecting the right welding vocational school near Audubon PA is an essential first step to starting your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are numerous schools to pick from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more significantly, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you select the right one? Many people begin by checking out the schools that are closest to their homes. Once they have found those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the least costly one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are important considerations when examining welder trade schools, but they are not the only ones. Other considerations include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before beginning your search for a vocational school to become a welder, it’s wise to establish a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we explore 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 Programs
There are multiple options to get training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can receive a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are offered in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Below are brief summaries of the most prevalent welding programs available in the Audubon PA area.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by trade and technical schools and require about 1 year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, created mainly to develop welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or additional skills for experienced welders.
- Associate Degree Programs will take two years to finish 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 readies students to enter the workforce.
Many municipalities and states do have licensing requirements for welders, so be sure to check for your location of future employment. As required, the welding school you select should prep you for any licensing exams that you will have to pass in addition to furnishing the suitable training to become a professional welder.
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Welding Certification Alternatives
There are multiple institutions that offer welder certifications, which evaluate the knowledge and skill level of those applying. A large number of Audubon PA employers not only require a degree or certificate from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a respected organization like the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are available based on the type 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 certain kinds of welds
- Operate based on contract specifications
As earlier mentioned, some states, cities or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those calling for licensing, many additionally require certification for various types 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, look into the requirements for your local area and verify that the welding vocational school you select preps you for certification as needed.
Points to Ask Welder Technical Programs
Once you have decided on the credential you want to obtain, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to assess schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous welding vocational and trade schools in the Audubon PA area. That’s why it’s necessary to determine up front what qualifications your selected school must have. We have already covered two significant ones that most people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. As stated, although they are very important qualifiers, they are not the only ones that need to be considered. After all, the program you pick is going to furnish the instruction that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So following are more factors you may need to evaluate before choosing a welding tech school.
Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welding technical school you choose is accredited by either a national or a regional organization. There are two standard kinds of accreditation. The school may receive Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on an individual program the school has, for instance Welding Technology. So verify that the program you choose is accredited, not just the school alone. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping ensure that you get a superior education, the accreditation can also help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable in Audubon PA for schools that are not accredited. Finally, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited also.
Job Assistance and Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous welding diploma or degree programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will assist in placing you in a job or an apprenticeship after graduation. Ask if the schools you are considering assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. The schools must have partnerships 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 rely upon for referrals. These programs can help students find employment and establish relationships within the Audubon PA welding community.
Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an instructional program and finish it. It’s important that the welding school you choose has a higher completion rate. A low rate could indicate that the students who enrolled in 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 program has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Audubon PA employer relationships to help students obtain employment or apprenticeships upon graduation.
Modern Equipment and Facilities. Once you have limited your choice of welder programs to 2 or 3 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 trained on are up-to-date. In particular, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be using in the field. If you are not sure 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 Audubon PA welding professional if they can give you a few pointers.
School Location. Although we previously briefly discussed the relevance of location, there are a few additional issues that we need to deal with. You should keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the welding program you select must be within driving distance of your Audubon PA home. If you do choose to enroll in 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 welding certificate programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school provides 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 an area or state where you subsequently will wish to work.
Small Classes. Individualized training is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to get overlooked in larger classes and not receive much personalized training. Ask what the average class size is for the welder programs you are considering. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of classes so that you can experience how much personal attention the students are receiving. While there, talk with a few of the students and get their evaluations. Also, chat with a couple of the teachers and ask what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they have earned.
Flexible Class Scheduling. Many people learn a new trade while still employed at their present job. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are looking at are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Audubon PA, make certain that the schools you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only enroll part-time, make certain that the school you decide on offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make up classes should you miss any due to illness, work or family circumstances.
Online Welder Degree and Certificate Programs
Welding is very much a manual type of vocation, and therefore not extremely suitable for training online. Even so, there are a small number of online welding programs offered by specific community colleges and technical schools in the greater Audubon PA area that may count toward a degree or certificate program. These classes primarily cover such topics as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a basis to initiate their training and education. However, 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 performed online. These skills have to be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is better suited for seasoned welders that want to advance their knowledge or possibly earn a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding certificate or degree program, be extremely careful and verify that the greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.
Top Online Welding Courses Audubon PA
Selecting the ideal welder training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally stopped by our website because you had an interest in Top Online Welding Courses and wanted more information on the topic Top Part Time Welding Courses. However, as we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any welder school that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their personal welding machine to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification as well. Perhaps the best means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you select is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Audubon PA.
Other Pennsylvania Welder Locations
Audubon, Pennsylvania
As of the 2010 census, the CDP was 78.1% White, 5.2% Black or African American, 13.4% Asian, 0.7% were Some Other Race, and 1.2% were two or more races. 2.3% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.[2]
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 6,549 people, 2,379 households, and 1,750 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,461.1 people per square mile (564.4/km2). There were 2,457 housing units at an average density of 548.1/sq mi (211.8/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.86% White, 4.35% African American, 0.05% Native American, 6.03% Asian, 1.28% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.03% of the population.
There were 2,379 households, out of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 20.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.14.
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