Locating the right welding technical school near Southampton PA is an essential first step to starting your new career as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to pick from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more notably, once you have fine tuned your choices, how do you select the best one? Many prospective students begin by checking out the schools that are nearest to their residences. When they have located 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 welding technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before starting your search for a vocational school to become a welder, it’s wise to develop a list of qualifications that your chosen 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 Programs

There are a number of options available to obtain training as a welder in a technical or trade school. You can obtain a a certificate, a diploma or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Engineering or Welding Technology, but are more advanced degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Following are short descriptions of the most prevalent welding programs offered in the Southampton PA area.

• Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally made available by technical and trade schools and require about one year to complete. They are more hands-on training in scope, designed largely to teach welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or specialized skills for working 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 diploma or certificate while still furnishing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.

A number of states and municipalities do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore make sure to check for your location of future employment. If required, the welding school you select should prepare you for any licensing examinations that you will have to pass in addition to supplying the appropriate training to become a professional welder.

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Welding Certification Alternatives

There are multiple institutions that offer welder certifications, which test the skill level and knowledge of those applying. A large number of Southampton PA employers not only expect a degree or certificate from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a renowned agency like the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are available based on the type of work that the welder performs. Some of the skills that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to

• Operate in compliance with specific codes
• Work with certain metal thicknesses
• Work with various types of welds
• Operate in compliance with contract specifications

As previously mentioned, various states, cities or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those mandating licensing, many also require certification for different types of work. Certification is also a means to demonstrate to employers that you are a highly skilled and experienced welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your location and confirm that the welding vocational school you decide on prepares you for certification as needed.

Questions to Ask Welder Trade Programs

Once you have chosen the credential you want to earn, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to compare schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous welding trade and vocational schools in the Southampton PA area. That’s why it’s essential to determine up front what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have already covered 2 important ones that most people consider first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As stated, although they are very important qualifications, they are not the only ones that need to be looked at. After all, the program you pick is going to furnish the training that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So below are some additional factors you may want to evaluate before picking a welding trade school.

Accreditation. It’s very important that the welding technical school you choose is accredited by either a national or a regional 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 example Welding Technology. So make certain that the program you pick is accredited, not just the school alone. Additionally, 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). Besides helping ensure that you get an excellent education, the accreditation may also assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not offered in Southampton PA for schools that are not accredited. Finally, for those states or municipalities that require licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited as well.

Job Placement and Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of welder diploma or degree programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program. Other schools will assist in placing you in a job or an apprenticeship after graduation. Find out if the schools you are considering assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. These 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 placements. These programs can assist students in finding employment and establish associations within the Southampton PA welding community.

Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an educational program and complete it. It’s essential that the welder school you select has a high completion rate. A reduced rate could signify that the students who were in the program were dissatisfied with the instruction, the instructors, or the facilities, and dropped out. The job placement rate is also an indication of the quality of training. A higher job placement rate will not only verify that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Southampton PA employer relationships to help students secure employment or apprenticeships after graduation.

Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. Once you have decreased your selection of welder programs to 2 or 3 options, you should think out visiting the campuses to inspect their facilities. Verify that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be instructed 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 unsure 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 Southampton PA welding professional if they can give you some tips.

School Location. Although we previously briefly talked about the significance of location, there are a couple of additional points that we need to cover. You should remember that unless you are able to move, the welder program you select must be within commuting distance of your Southampton PA home. If you do decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, apart from moving expenses there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly true for welding diploma programs offered by community colleges. Also, 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 a region or state where you subsequently will want to work.

Smaller Classes. One-on-one instruction is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s easy to be lost in larger classes and not obtain much personalized instruction. Find out what the typical class size is for the welding programs you are considering. Ask if you can sit in on some classes so that you can experience just how much personal attention the students are receiving. While there, talk with a few of the students and get their feedback. Also, chat with some of the trainers and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.

Convenient Class Scheduling. Lots of folks learn a new profession while still working at their current job. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are considering are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Southampton PA, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide those alternatives. If you can only enroll part-time, confirm that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make up classes if you you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Online Welder Schools

Welding is very much a manual kind of trade, and therefore not very suitable for training online. However, there are some online welding courses offered by specific community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Southampton PA area that may count toward a degree or certificate program. These courses mainly cover such subjects as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help provide a beginner a foundation to start 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 have to be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is more appropriate for seasoned welders that want to advance their knowledge or possibly earn a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding degree or certificate program, be very cautious and make certain that the larger part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.

Welding Class Southampton PA

Selecting the ideal welding school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally stopped by our website because you had an interest in Welding Class and wanted more information on the topic Certified Welder Training. However, as we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any welding training that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Each training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Southampton PA.

Other Pennsylvania Welder Locations

Southampton, Pennsylvania

Southampton, Pennsylvania is a namesake of Southampton, England, from where the followers of William Penn set sail to the Province of Pennsylvania. By 1685, Southampton was recognized by the Provincial Council as a township, and the lands within its borders had been allocated to thirteen original purchasers: John Luff, John Martin, Robert Pressmore, Richard Wood, John Jones, Mark Betres, John Swift, Enoch Flowers, Joseph Jones, Thomas Groom, Robert Marsh, Thomas Hould and John Gilbert, whose tracts were delineated on a Map of the Improved Part of the Province of Pennsylvania, drafted by Thomas Holme, Pennsylvania's Surveyor General.

Southampton's boundaries at that time extended eastward to Bensalem, and it was not until 1929 that the township was divided into "Upper Southampton" and "Lower Southampton". Its immediate bordering towns are now Feasterville, Huntingdon Valley, Warminster, and Churchville.

In order to ensure peaceful coexistence with the Indians residing in this region, Penn purchased the land with wampum and other valuable commodities including items of clothing, fish hooks, axes, knives and other useful tools. The area between the Pennypack and Neshaminy Creeks, encompassing Southampton Township, was conveyed by the Lenni-Lenape Chief Tamanend to William Penn by Deed dated June 23, 1683.

 

 

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