How to Enroll In the Best Welding Certification Program near Hatboro Pennsylvania
Finding the ideal welding vocational school near Hatboro PA is an important first step to starting your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to select from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more notably, once you have fine tuned your alternatives, how do you select the right one? A number of prospective students start by checking out the schools that are closest to their homes. When they have located those that are within commuting distance, they gravitate toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are important concerns when reviewing welding technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before starting your search for a trade school to become a welder, it’s wise to establish 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 Degree and Certificate Training
There are multiple options available to receive training as a welder in a technical or trade school. You can earn a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available 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 short summaries of the most prevalent welding programs offered in the Hatboro PA area.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually made available by trade and technical schools and take about one year to finish. They are more hands-on training in scope, designed largely to develop welding skills. They can provide 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 most often offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology furnishes a more well-rounded education than the diploma or certificate while still furnishing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.
Many states and municipalities do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore don’t forget to find out for your location of future employment. If needed, the welder school you pick should prepare you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to furnishing the suitable training to become a qualified welder.
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Welder Certification Options
There are multiple organizations that offer welding certifications, which test the skill level and knowledge of those applying. A large number of Hatboro PA employers not only expect a certificate or degree from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a highly regarded organization such as the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are available based on the kind of work that the welder does. Some of the things that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to
- Work in compliance with specific codes
- Work with certain metal thicknesses
- Work with specific kinds of welds
- Work based on contract specifications
As earlier stated, many states, cities or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those calling for licensing, some also require certification for different types of work. Certification is also a way to prove to employers that you are an extremely skilled and qualified welder. So just as with licensing, check the requirements for your location and make certain that the welding tech school you choose prepares you for certification as needed.
What to Ask Welding Vocational Programs
Once you have decided on the credential you would like to attain, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to evaluate schools. As you can imagine, there are numerous welding vocational and trade schools in the Hatboro PA area. That’s why it’s necessary to decide up front what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have already discussed two significant ones that many people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. As stated, although they are very important qualifiers, they are not the only ones that should be looked at. After all, the program you choose is going to provide the education that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So below are some additional factors you may want to evaluate before selecting a welder technical school.
Accreditation. It’s essential that the welding trade school you choose is accredited by either a regional or a national 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 an individual program the school offers, for instance Welding Technology. So make sure 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, for example the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping make sure that you receive a superior education, the accreditation can also assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered in Hatboro PA for non-accredited schools. Finally, for those states or municipalities that require licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited also.
Apprenticeship and Job Placement Programs. Numerous welding certificate or degree programs are provided combined 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 looking at help 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 refer their students. More established schools may have a more substantial network of graduates that they can rely upon for placements. These programs can help students find employment and establish associations within the Hatboro PA welding community.
Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that start an academic program and complete it. It’s crucial that the welding program you pick has a higher completion rate. A lower rate could mean that the students who joined the program were dissatisfied with the training, the teachers, 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 program has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of Hatboro PA contacts to help students obtain apprenticeships or employment after graduation.
Modern Equipment and Facilities. Once you have narrowed down your choice of welder programs to 2 or 3 options, 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. Specifically, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be using in the field. If you are unsure what to look for, and are currently in an apprenticeship program, ask the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Hatboro PA welding contractor if they can give you some suggestions.
School Location. Although we previously briefly talked about the importance of location, there are a couple of additional points that we need to cover. You should keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the welding program you pick needs to be within driving distance of your Hatboro PA home. If you do choose to attend an out-of-state school, apart from moving expenses there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially the case for welder diploma programs offered by community colleges. Also, 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 needs to be in an area or state where you ultimately will desire to work.
Small Classes. Individualized training is essential for a manual trade such as welding. It’s possible to be lost in larger classes and not obtain much one-on-one instruction. Ask what the average class size is for the welder programs you are considering. Inquire if you can sit in on a few classes so that you can experience just how much individual attention the students are receiving. While there, speak with a few of the students and get their evaluations. Also, chat with a couple of the teachers and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they have earned.
Flexible Class Schedules. Many people learn a new profession while still employed at their current job. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are considering are convenient enough to satisfy your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Hatboro PA, make sure that the schools you are assessing provide those alternatives. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the policy is to make up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.
Online Welder Training Programs
Welding is truly a manual kind of vocation, and consequently not very suitable for online training. However, there are a few online welding classes offered by specific community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Hatboro PA area that may count toward a degree or certificate program. These courses mainly cover such topics as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a basis to begin their training and education. However, the most important point is that you can’t learn how to weld or work with welding materials unless you actually do it. Naturally that can’t be performed 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 want to advance their expertise or possibly obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should discover an online welding degree or certificate program, be very cautious and make certain that the majority of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.
Best Part Time Welding Trade Schools Hatboro PA
Choosing the ideal welder training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally stopped by our website because you had an interest in Best Part Time Welding Trade Schools and wanted more information on the topic Compare Accelerated Welding Trade Schools. However, as we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare between the programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any welder training that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their personal welding machine to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every program provides unique options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional welder in Hatboro PA.
Other Pennsylvania Welder Locations
Hatboro, Pennsylvania
The town of Hatboro is located on land purchased from William Penn by the family of Nicholas More around 1705. The first land titles in town were issued in 1711. Original construction by early residents of the town occurred between 1715 and 1719. Early settlement pre-dating the Hatboro name occurred in the Crooked Billet area east of York Road, between Moreland Avenue and Byberry Road.
Early resident John Dawson entertained guests at the Crooked Billet Inn as well as manufacturing a line of hats. When the post office opened in 1809 the town was officially called Hatborough. U.S. Postmaster General John Wanamaker officially changed the name of the town in the 1880s to Hatboro.
The Union Library Company of Hatboro, the third library company to be founded in Pennsylvania, was formed in 1755. This building still stands on its original site today and still serves as a library. George Washington and his troops passed through the town numerous times during 1777 in pursuit of British Troops. The Battle of Crooked Billet was fought in 1778.
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