Finding the ideal welding school near Shelby NE is an important first step to launching 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 significantly, once you have narrowed down your alternatives, how do you pick the right one? Many prospective students begin by looking at the schools that are closest to their residences. When they have located those that are within driving distance, they are drawn toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are necessary concerns when examining welder technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors 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 prudent to create a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we delve into 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 Classes

There are a number of alternatives available to receive training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can obtain a a certificate, a diploma or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced programs than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available along with an apprenticeship program. Below are brief summaries of the most common welding programs offered in the Shelby NE area.

• Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally made available by technical and trade schools and take about 1 year to finish. They are more hands-on training in scope, created mainly 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 usually offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology offers a more extensive education than the certificate or diploma while still providing the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.

A number of states and municipalities do have licensing requirements for welders, therefore make sure to find out for your location of future employment. As needed, the welding school you pick should prepare you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to providing the proper training to become a qualified welder.

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Welding Certification Alternatives

There are several organizations that offer welder certifications, which evaluate the skill level and knowledge of those applying. Numerous Shelby NE employers not only require a certificate or degree from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a respected organization like the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of certifications are available dependent on the kind of work that the welder performs. Some of the things that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

• Operate in compliance with specific codes
• Work with specified metal thicknesses
• Work with specific kinds of welds
• Perform based on contract specifications

As previously stated, some cities, states 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 an exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and make sure that the welding vocational school you choose prepares you for certification as needed.

What to Ask Welder Technical Schools

Once you have chosen the credential you would like to earn, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to assess schools. As you probably know, there are many welding trade and vocational schools in the Shelby NE area. That’s why it’s essential to determine up front what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have already covered two important ones that most people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. As mentioned, although they are very important qualifiers, they are not the only ones that should be looked at. After all, the school you choose is going to provide the training that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So below are more factors you might want to evaluate before choosing a welder technical school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welding technical school you choose is accredited by either a regional or a national agency. There are two standard kinds of accreditation. The school may earn Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a specific program the school has, for instance Welding Technology. So confirm that the program you select is accredited, not just the school itself. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, the accreditation may also assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable in Shelby NE for schools that are not accredited. Finally, for those states or municipalities that mandate licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited also.

Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. Many welding diploma or degree programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Other schools will assist in placing you in an apprenticeship or a job upon graduation. Ask if the schools you are considering help 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 larger network of graduates that they can rely upon for referrals. These programs can help students find employment and establish relationships within the Shelby NE welding community.

Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an instructional program and complete it. It’s important that the welding program you choose has a high completion rate. A lower rate could signify that the students who joined the program were dissatisfied with the instruction, the instructors, or the facilities, and dropped out. The job placement rate is also a good indicator of the quality of training. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the program has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Shelby NE employer relationships to help students secure employment or apprenticeships after graduation.

Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. After you have decreased your selection of welder schools to two or three possibilities, you should think out going to the campuses to inspect their facilities. Make sure 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 working with in the field. If you are uncertain what to look for, and are already in an apprenticeship program, consult with the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Shelby NE welding contractor if they can give you a few pointers.

School Location. Even though we previously briefly discussed the importance of location, there are a couple of additional issues that we should deal with. You should remember that unless you can move, the welder school you pick must be within driving distance of your Shelby NE home. If you do decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly true for welder certificate programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school offers an apprenticeship or job placement program, more than 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 ultimately will desire to work.

Small Classes. Individualized training is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to get lost in bigger classes and not obtain much one-on-one training. Ask what the usual class size is for the welder programs you are reviewing. Inquire if you can sit in on some classes so that you can experience how much individual attention the students are getting. While there, talk with several of the students and get their evaluations. Similarly, talk to some of the trainers and ask what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.

Flexible Class Schedules. Some people learn a new trade while still employed at their current 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 Shelby NE, verify that the schools you are assessing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, verify that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the protocol is to make up classes if you you miss any because of illness, work or family circumstances.

Online Welder Classes

Welding is very much a hands-on type of vocation, and therefore not extremely compatible with online training. Having said that, there are a few online welding programs offered by certain community colleges and trade schools in the greater Shelby NE area that can count toward a certificate or degree program. These courses primarily cover such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a basis to initiate their training and education. Nevertheless, the most critical point is that you can’t learn how to weld or handle welding materials until you actually do it. Obviously 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 seasoned welders that desire to advance their expertise or perhaps earn a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding degree or certificate program, be extremely cautious and make sure that the larger part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.

Welding Training Schools Shelby NE

Selecting the best welding school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. You originally stopped by our website because you had an interest in Welding Training Schools and wanted more information on the topic Associate Degree Welding Technology. However, as we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any welding school that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their personal welding machine to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Shelby NE.

Other Nebraska Welder Locations

Shelby, Nebraska

Shelby is a village in Polk County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 714 at the 2010 census. Shelby lies along the north side of U.S. Highway 81 near the eastern edge of Polk County. It is six miles (10 km) east of Osceola, and just 17 miles (27 km) south and three miles (5 km) west of Columbus. Nebraska's center of population is near Shelby.[6]

In 1873, Civil War veteran Horace A. Cowles set up the Cyclone post office in his home one mile east and one mile south of present-day Shelby. In 1879, with the coming of the railroad, a second post office named Arcade was established one mile east of the present site of Shelby. In the winter of 1880, the post office was moved again a mile west to where Shelby is today. Postal authorities objected to the name "Arcade" due to confusion with the town of Arcadia in Loup County. In search of a new name for the settlement, the people chose "Shelby", after the name of an official with the Omaha and Republican Valley Railway (a branch of the Union Pacific).[7] The land which Arcade was established on was owned by Gilbert Van Vorce and Peter Matter. Seeing a need for a trade center in the area, these men gave the railroad company half interest in their property and the town was established. After the railroad retained its 200 feet (61 m) on each side and closest to the tracks, eight blocks were located on each side parallel to the tracks. The original streets are still present and retain the names of Walnut, Elm, Chestnut, Pine, Cherry, and Oak.

In 1880 the town of Shelby boasted a population of 93 with businesses to include a drug store, hardware store, hotel, boot and shoe shop, livery stable, and physician. J.T. Dunning built the first elevator, located on the south side of the tracks along with the railway depot. The first store, owned by H.C. and Frank Dunning, sold general merchandise. Conrad Thelen and Charles Krumbach opened the first hardware store, which would run for 40 years.

 

 

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