How to Pick the Right Welder Degree Program near Drayton Plains Michigan
Enrolling in the ideal welding school near Drayton Plains MI is an essential first step to starting your new career as a professional welder. But since there are numerous schools to pick from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have narrowed down your options, how do you pick the right one? Most prospective students begin by looking at the schools that are closest to their homes. Once they have located those that are within commuting distance, they are drawn toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and tuition cost are necessary concerns when evaluating welding vocational schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before initiating your search for a vocational school to become a welder, it’s prudent to establish 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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Welding Certificate and Degree Programs
There are a number of options available to obtain 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 courses than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Below are brief summaries of the most typical welding programs available in the Drayton Plains MI area.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are normally offered by technical and trade schools and require about 1 year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, designed mainly to teach 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 two years to finish and are usually offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology furnishes a more well-rounded education than the diploma or certificate while still providing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.
Many states and municipalities do have licensing requirements for welders, so don’t forget to find out for your location of potential employment. If needed, the welder school you choose should prep you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to supplying the proper training to become a qualified welder.
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Welding Certification Choices
There are various institutions that offer welder certifications, which test the knowledge and skill level of those applying. A large number of Drayton Plains MI employers not only demand a certificate or degree from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a respected agency like the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are available based upon the kind of work that the welder does. Some of the skills that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to
- Work in compliance with specific codes
- Work with specified metal thicknesses
- Work with various types of welds
- Work according to contract specifications
As already stated, various cities, states or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those mandating licensing, a number additionally require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a means to prove to employers that you are an extremely skilled and experienced welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your location and verify that the welder vocational school you decide on prepares you for certification as needed.
Topics to Ask Welder Trade Programs
As soon as you have chosen the credential you want to earn, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to compare schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of welding trade and vocational schools in the Drayton Plains MI area. That’s why it’s important to decide up front what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have already discussed two significant ones that most people look at first, which are location and tuition cost. As mentioned, although they are essential qualifications, they are not the only ones that should be considered. After all, the program you pick is going to provide the instruction that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So following are some additional factors you might want to evaluate before picking a welding vocational school.
Accreditation. It’s essential that the welding trade school you select is accredited by either a regional or a national organization. There are 2 standard 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 has, for example Welding Technology. So verify that the program you choose is accredited, not just the school itself. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping ensure that you receive a quality education, the accreditation might also assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available in Drayton Plains MI for non-accredited schools. Also, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited as well.
Job Assistance and Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous welder certificate or degree programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Some other schools will help place you in an apprenticeship or a job after graduation. Ask if the schools you are considering help in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. These schools should have relationships with local unions and other metal working businesses to which they can place their students. More established schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can utilize for placements. These programs can assist students in finding employment and establish relationships within the Drayton Plains MI welding community.
Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that begin an academic program and finish it. It’s essential that the welder school you pick has a higher completion rate. A reduced rate might indicate that the students who enrolled in the program were dissatisfied with the training, the teachers, or the facilities, and quit. 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 school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of Drayton Plains MI employer relationships to assist students secure apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.
Modern Equipment and Facilities. Once you have narrowed down your selection of welder schools to two or three options, you should consider visiting the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Confirm that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are modern. In particular, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be using in the field. If you are not sure 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 Drayton Plains MI welding professional if they can give you some tips.
School Location. Even though we previously briefly talked about the importance of location, there are a couple of additional points that we need to address. You should bear in mind that unless you have the ability to relocate, the welding program you pick must be within driving distance of your Drayton Plains MI home. If you do opt to attend an out-of-state school, apart from relocation expenses there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly the case for welding degree programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, 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 a region or state where you subsequently will desire 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 bigger classes and not receive much one-on-one instruction. Find out what the average class size is for the welder programs you are reviewing. Ask if you can attend a few classes so that you can experience just how much individual attention the students are getting. While there, talk with a few of the students and get their feedback. Also, talk to a couple of the instructors and find out what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they have earned.
Flexible Class Scheduling. Many people learn a new profession while still working at their present job. Check to see that the class schedules for the schools you are looking at are flexible enough to satisfy your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Drayton Plains MI, make certain that the schools you are considering provide those options. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make up classes if you you miss any because of illness, work or family responsibilities.
Online Welding Certificate and Degree Programs
Welding is very much a hands-on type of vocation, and consequently not very suitable for online training. Having said that, there are a small number of online welding programs offered by specific community colleges and trade schools in the greater Drayton Plains MI area that can count toward a certificate or degree program. These courses primarily deal with such topics as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a foundation to initiate their education and training. Nevertheless, the most important point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials unless you actually do it. Clearly 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 perhaps attain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding certificate or degree program, be extremely cautious and confirm that the majority of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.
Where to Find Accredited Schools for Welders Near Me Drayton Plains MI
Selecting the ideal welder training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. You originally stopped by our website because you had an interest in Where to Find Accredited Schools for Welders Near Me and wanted more information on the topic Where to Find Weekend Schools for Welders Near Me. However, as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any welding training that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their personal welding machine to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new trade as a professional welder in Drayton Plains MI.
Other Michigan Welder Locations
Drayton Plains, Michigan
Drayton Plains was never incorporated as a municipality, and as an unincorporated community, it has no defined boundaries or population statistics of its own. It is located on Dixie Highway near the west end of Loon Lake.[3]
In 1818, the Land Office opened in Detroit offering land for $2.00 an acre.[4] Horatio Foster, Jonathan Perry, and brothers Harvey and Austin Durfee were among the first to take advantage of the opportunity to become land owners in the wilderness north of Detroit.
In 1822, Horatio Foster and his wife were the first to settle in what would become Drayton Plains, although just temporarily as they moved northward a few years later where they permanently settled. In 1823, the first to establish permanent homes in Drayton Plains were Jonathan Perry, Harvey Durfee and Austin Durfee.
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