How to Find the Right Welder Certificate Program near Ankeny Iowa
Locating the ideal welding trade school near Ankeny IA is an essential first step to beginning your new career as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to select from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you select the best one? A number of prospective students start by reviewing the schools that are closest to their residences. When they have identified those that are within driving distance, they gravitate toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and tuition cost are necessary considerations when evaluating welder trade schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors 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 sensible 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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Welder Degree and Certificate Training Courses
There are a number of options available to receive training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can receive a a certificate, a diploma or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are offered in Welding Engineering or Welding Technology, but are more advanced courses than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available combined with an apprenticeship program. Following are short summaries of the most typical welding programs available in the Ankeny IA 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 primarily to develop welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or supplemental 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 offers a more well-rounded education than the diploma or certificate while still providing the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.
Many states and municipalities do have licensing requirements for welders, so be sure to check for your location of future employment. If needed, the welder school you choose should ready you for any licensing exams that you will need to take in addition to providing the suitable training to become a qualified welder.
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Welding Certification Options
There are several institutions that offer welding certifications, which test the skill level and knowledge of those applying. A large number of Ankeny IA employers not only require a degree or certificate from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a respected organization such as the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are available based on the type of work that the welder performs. Just some of the skills that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to
- Work in compliance with specific codes
- Work with certain metal thicknesses
- Work with specific types of welds
- Perform in compliance with contract specifications
As formerly mentioned, some states, cities or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those mandating licensing, many also require certification for various types of work. Certification is also a means to prove to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and qualified welder. So just as with licensing, check the requirements for your location and make certain that the welding technical school you decide on readies you for certification if needed.
Questions to Ask Welder Technical Schools
After you have decided on the credential you would like to obtain, a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to compare schools. As you probably know, there are many welding trade and vocational schools in the Ankeny IA area. That’s why it’s important to decide up front what qualifications your selected school must have. We have previously discussed a couple of significant ones that many people look at first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As mentioned, although they are essential qualifications, they are not the only ones that must be considered. After all, the school you pick is going to provide the education that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So below are more factors you may need to consider before picking a welding tech school.
Accreditation. It’s essential that the welding tech school you pick is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are 2 basic types of accreditation. The school may receive Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a single program the school has, such as 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 acknowledged accrediting agency, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping make sure that you get a quality education, the accreditation may also assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable in Ankeny IA 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 as well.
Job Placement and Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of welder certificate or degree programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will help place you in a job or an apprenticeship upon graduation. Ask if the schools you are reviewing assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. The schools must have associations with local unions and other metal working businesses to which they can place their students. More established 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 associations within the Ankeny IA welding community.
Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that start an instructional program and complete it. It’s crucial that the welding school you pick has a higher completion rate. A low rate may 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 caliber of training. A high job placement rate will not only verify that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of Ankeny IA employer relationships to help students secure employment or apprenticeships after graduation.
Modern Facilities and Equipment. Once you have limited your choice of welder programs to two or three possibilities, you should think out going to the campuses to look over their facilities. Verify that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be instructed on are modern. In particular, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be using in the field. If you are uncertain what to look for, and are already in an apprenticeship program, ask the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Ankeny IA welding professional if they can give you a few suggestions.
School Location. Even though we previously briefly discussed the relevance of location, there are a few additional points that we need to cover. You should remember that unless you have the ability to move, the welding program you pick needs to be within driving distance of your Ankeny IA home. If you do decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially the case for welder diploma programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school provides a job placement or apprenticeship program, more than likely their placements are within the school’s regional community. So the location of the school needs to be in a region or state where you ultimately will want to work.
Small Classes. One-on-one training is important for a manual trade such as welding. It’s easy to be lost in larger classes and not receive much personalized instruction. Find out what the average class size is for the welding schools you are looking at. Ask if you can attend a couple of classes so that you can witness how much individual attention the students are getting. While there, talk with several of the students and get their opinions. Also, talk with some of the teachers and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they have earned.
Convenient Class Scheduling. Lots of folks learn a new trade while still working at their current job. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Ankeny IA, make sure that the schools you are looking at offer those alternatives. If you can only enroll part-time, make certain that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make up classes if you you miss any because of work, illness or family circumstances.
Online Welder Training
Welding is truly a hands-on kind of vocation, and consequently not extremely suitable for training online. Having said that, there are some online welding courses offered by specific community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Ankeny IA area that may count toward a degree or certificate program. These classes mainly deal with such subjects as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a basis to initiate their training and education. Nevertheless, the most significant 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 better suited for seasoned welders that desire to advance their knowledge or perhaps earn a more advanced degree. So if you should come across an online welding degree or certificate program, be very careful and make certain that the majority of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.
Local Welding Classes Ankeny IA
Selecting 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 Local Welding Classes and wanted more information on the topic Welding Course Cost. However, as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare between the programs you are considering. It’s a must that any welding training that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their personal welding machine to train on. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every program provides different options for certification also. Probably The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional welder in Ankeny IA.
Other Iowa Welder Locations
Ankeny, Iowa
Ankeny is a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States and home to Des Moines Area Community College. Ankeny is a rapidly growing suburb just north of Des Moines, Iowa's capital city. Ankeny covers approximately 33 square miles and has a population estimated at 54,598 after a special census conducted in 2015. This census also estimated the city's growth at 5 persons per day. In May 2018, the U.S. Census Bureau named Ankeny the fastest growing city in the Midwest and the 4th fastest growing city in the United States between July 1, 2016, and July 1, 2017 for cities with populations of 50,000 or more in 2016.[2] Ankeny is the 9th largest city in Iowa and the 3rd largest in Polk County.
Ankeny was founded by John and Sarah Ankeny in 1875 and was incorporated on February 28, 1903.[6] A railroad link from Des Moines through Ankeny to Ames was completed in 1874 and passenger service established in 1880.[6]
Coal mining became an important activity in the Ankeny area in the early 20th century. The Anderson Coal Company sank a shaft 2 miles (3 km) southeast of Ankeny in 1908. Enterprise, 4 miles (6 km) east of Ankeny, was the company town of the Enterprise Coal Company, with two large mines opened in 1903 and 1907.[7] In 1914, the Enterprise Coal Company produced over 100,000 tons of coal, ranking among the top 24 coal producers in the state.[8] In 1912, United Mine Workers Local 2476 in Ankeny had 246 members, over half of the total population at the time, and Local 2511 in Enterprise had 395 members.[9]
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