How to Pick the Best Welder Degree Program near Dresher Pennsylvania
Enrolling in the ideal welder vocational school near Dresher PA is an important first step to beginning your new career as a professional welder. But since there are numerous schools to select from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more notably, once you have narrowed down your options, how do you select the right one? Most people start by looking at the schools that are nearest to their residences. Once they have located those that are within driving distance, they are drawn toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and tuition cost are crucial considerations when reviewing welding vocational schools, but they are not the only ones. Other considerations include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before beginning your search for a trade school to become a welder, it’s sensible to develop 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 Certificate and Degree Training Classes
There are several alternatives available to receive training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can obtain a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are offered in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced courses than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Following are short summaries of the most typical welding programs offered in the Dresher PA area.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally made available by technical and trade schools and require about one year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, fashioned largely to develop 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 two years to complete and are usually offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology furnishes a more extensive education than the certificate or diploma while still providing the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.
Many municipalities and states do have licensing requirements for welders, therefore make sure to check for your location of future employment. As required, the welder school you pick should prepare you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to providing the suitable training to become a qualified welder.
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Welding Certification Alternatives
There are several organizations that provide welding certifications, which assess the knowledge and skill level of those applying. A large number of Dresher PA employers not only expect a degree or certificate from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a respected organization like the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are available based upon the kind of work that the welder does. Just some of the skills that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to
- Operate in compliance with specific codes
- Work with specific metal thicknesses
- Work with various kinds of welds
- Work based on contract specifications
As formerly stated, many states, cities or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those calling for licensing, a number also require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a means to prove to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and experienced welder. So just as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and make certain that the welding tech school you decide on readies you for certification as needed.
Subjects to Ask Welding Technical Schools
Once you have chosen the credential you want to obtain, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can begin to compare schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of welding vocational and trade schools in the Dresher PA area. That’s why it’s important to determine in advance what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have previously covered 2 important ones that most people consider first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As stated, although they are essential qualifications, they are not the only ones that should be looked at. After all, the program you pick is going to furnish the instruction that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So below are some additional factors you may need to evaluate before picking a welding technical school.
Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welder trade school you choose is accredited by either a national or a regional organization. There are two basic types of accreditation. The school may earn Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a specific program the school offers, such as Welding Technology. So make certain that the program you pick is accredited, not just the school alone. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping make sure that you receive an excellent education, the accreditation might also help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available in Dresher PA for non-accredited schools. Also, for those states or municipalities that require licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited also.
Apprenticeship and Job Assistance Programs. Many 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. Ask if the schools you are looking at assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. These schools must have relationships with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can place their students. More established schools may have a more substantial network of graduates that they can utilize for referrals. These programs can help students find employment and establish relationships within the Dresher 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 welder program you choose has a higher completion rate. A low rate could signify that the students who enrolled in the program were unhappy with the training, the instructors, or the facilities, and dropped out. The job placement rate is also a good indicator of the quality of training. A higher job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Dresher PA employer relationships to assist students obtain apprenticeships or employment after graduation.
Up-to-date Equipment and Facilities. Once you have narrowed down your choice of welder schools to two or three options, you should consider 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. Specifically, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be working with on the job. If you are unsure what to look for, and are currently in an apprenticeship program, consult with the master welder you are working under for guidance. If not, ask a local Dresher PA welding contractor if they can give you a few tips.
School Location. Although we already briefly talked about the importance of location, there are a couple of additional issues that we need to cover. You should keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the welder program you choose must be within driving distance of your Dresher PA home. If you do decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, apart from moving costs there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly the case for welding diploma programs offered by community colleges. Additionally, if the school offers an apprenticeship or job placement 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 ultimately will desire to work.
Smaller Classes. Individualized instruction is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to get lost in larger classes and not obtain much individualized training. Ask what the usual class size is for the welding programs you are looking at. Inquire if you can sit in on a couple of classes so that you can see how much personal attention the students are receiving. While there, speak with several of the students and get their opinions. Also, talk to a couple of the trainers and find out what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they have earned.
Convenient Class Scheduling. Lots of folks learn a new trade while still employed at their current job. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are looking at are convenient enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Dresher PA, make sure that the schools you are looking at offer those alternatives. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you decide on offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the protocol is to make up classes if you you miss any because of work, illness or family circumstances.
Online Welder Training Programs
Welding is very much a manual type of profession, and therefore not very suitable for training online. However, there are a small number of online welding classes offered by specific community colleges and trade schools in the greater Dresher PA area that can count toward a certificate or degree program. These classes mainly deal with such topics as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a foundation to begin their training and education. However, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials until you actually do it. Naturally that can’t be performed online. These skills must be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is better suited for experienced welders that would like to advance their expertise or possibly attain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding certificate or degree program, be very cautious and make sure that the majority of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.
Best Fast Track Trade Schools for Welders Dresher PA
Selecting the best welding school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. You originally stopped by our website because you had an interest in Best Fast Track Trade Schools for Welders and wanted more information on the topic Best Evening Trade Schools for Welders. However, as we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare among the programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any welder training that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every program offers unique options for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new trade as a professional welder in Dresher PA.
Other Pennsylvania Welder Locations
Dresher, Pennsylvania
Dresher (previously Dreshertown) is a community in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,610 at the 2000 census. Because Dresher is neither an incorporated area nor a census-designated place, all statistics are for the ZIP code 19025, with which the community is coterminous.
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,610 people, 1,765 households, and 1,538 families living in the community. The population density was 1,734.04/sq mi. There were 1,830 housing units at an average density of 564.67/sq mi. The racial make-up was 89.9% White, 1.0% African American, 0.7% Native American, 6.8% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.
Out of the 1,765 households, 47.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 80.4% were married couples living together, 2.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.9% were non-families. 12.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 3.05 and the average family size was 3.31.
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