How to Enroll In the Right Welder Training Class near Hackettstown New Jersey
Selecting the ideal welder school near Hackettstown NJ is an important first step to launching your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to pick from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have narrowed down your options, how do you pick the right one? Most people begin by looking at the schools that are nearest to their homes. When they have identified those that are within driving distance, they gravitate toward the least costly one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are important issues when evaluating welder trade schools, but they are not the only ones. Other concerns include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before initiating your search for a vocational school to become a welder, it’s wise to develop a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we explore our due diligence checklist, let’s cover 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 obtain training as a welder in a technical or trade school. You can receive a a certificate, a diploma or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are offered in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced programs than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered combined with an apprenticeship program. Below are short explanations of the most common welding programs available in the Hackettstown NJ area.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally made available by technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They are more hands-on training in nature, fashioned mainly to teach welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or supplemental skills for experienced welders.
- Associate Degree Programs will take 2 years to finish and are most often offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology furnishes a more extensive education than the diploma or certificate 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 needed, the welding school you pick should prep you for any licensing examinations that you will have to pass in addition to providing the proper training to become a qualified welder.
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Welder Certification Options
There are various institutions that provide welding certifications, which assess the skill level and knowledge of those applying. Many Hackettstown NJ employers not only demand a certificate or degree from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a highly regarded agency like the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are available based on the type of work that the welder performs. Some of the things that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to
- Work in compliance with specific codes
- Work with specified metal thicknesses
- Work with various kinds of welds
- Operate according to contract specifications
As already mentioned, many cities, states or local municipalities have licensing requirements for welders. Of those mandating licensing, some additionally require certification for various kinds of work. Certification is also a means to demonstrate to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and qualified welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and verify that the welding vocational school you decide on prepares you for certification as needed.
Questions to Ask Welder Trade Programs
After you have decided on the credential you want to obtain, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to assess schools. As you probably know, there are a large number of welder trade and technical schools in the Hackettstown NJ area. That’s why it’s essential to determine up front what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have already covered 2 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 school you choose is going to provide the training that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So following are more factors you might want to consider before picking a welding tech school.
Accreditation. It’s very important that the welding tech school you decide on is accredited by either a regional or a national 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 has, such as Welding Technology. So verify that the program you choose is accredited, not just the school itself. Additionally, 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). Besides helping ensure that you get a quality education, the accreditation might also help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available in Hackettstown NJ for schools that are not accredited. Finally, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited also.
Job Placement and Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous welder degree or diploma programs are provided combined with an apprenticeship program. Other schools will help place you in a job or an apprenticeship upon graduation. Find out if the schools you are considering 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. Older schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can utilize for referrals. These programs can help students find employment and establish associations within the Hackettstown NJ welding community.
Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that start an educational program and complete it. It’s essential that the welder school you pick has a higher completion rate. A lower rate could mean that the students who joined the program were unhappy with the training, the teachers, or the facilities, and dropped out. The job placement rate is also a good indicator of the caliber of training. A higher job placement rate will not only confirm that the program has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of Hackettstown NJ contacts to assist students obtain employment or apprenticeships after graduation.
Modern Equipment and Facilities. After you have limited your choice of welding programs to 2 or 3 options, you should consider going to the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Confirm that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be taught on are modern. Specifically, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be working with on the job. If you are uncertain 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 Hackettstown NJ welding contractor if they can give you a few tips.
School Location. Even though we previously briefly discussed the significance of location, there are a few additional points that we should address. You should bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the welder program you select must be within commuting distance of your Hackettstown NJ home. If you do choose to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation expenses there might be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly the case for welder certificate 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 should be in an area or state where you ultimately will wish to work.
Smaller Classes. Personalized training is important for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to be overlooked in larger classes and not receive much individualized instruction. Find out what the usual class size is for the welding schools you are considering. Inquire if you can sit in on some classes so that you can see just how much personal attention the students are receiving. While there, speak with several of the students and get their evaluations. Similarly, chat with some of the instructors and ask what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they have earned.
Flexible Class Scheduling. Some people learn a new trade while still working at their current job. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Hackettstown NJ, verify that the schools you are assessing offer those choices. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you pick offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the policy is to make up classes should you miss any due to illness, work or family emergencies.
Online Welding Courses
Welding is truly a hands-on type of profession, and consequently not extremely suitable for training online. However, there are a few online welding classes offered by specific community colleges and trade schools in the greater Hackettstown NJ area that can be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These classes primarily cover such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help provide a novice a foundation to begin their education and training. However, the most important point is that you can’t learn how to weld or handle welding materials unless you actually do it. Clearly that can’t be performed online. These skills have to be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is more appropriate for experienced welders that want to advance their knowledge or perhaps attain a more advanced degree. So if you should discover an online welding certificate or degree program, be very careful and confirm that the greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.
Free Info on Online Welding Training Hackettstown NJ
Picking the best welder school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally stopped by our website because you had an interest in Free Info on Online Welding Training and wanted more information on the topic Free Info on Part Time Welding Training. However, as we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare among the programs you are considering. It’s a necessity that any welder school that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional welder in Hackettstown NJ.
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Hackettstown, New Jersey
Hackettstown is a town in Warren County, in the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 9,724,[8][9][10] reflecting a decline of 679 (-6.5%) from the 10,403 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,283 (+28.1%) from the 8,120 counted in the 1990 Census.[19] The town is located in the easternmost region of the Lehigh Valley.
Hackettstown was incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 9, 1853, from portions of Independence Township. Portions of territory were exchanged with Mansfield Township in 1857, 1860, 1872 and 1875.[20]
Hackettstown houses the headquarters of Mars Chocolate USA, the American division of Mars, Incorporated, makers of Milky Way, Mars, M&M's, Twix and Snickers candy bars, as well as pet foods (such as the well-known Whiskas and Pedigree brands), human foods (including Uncle Ben's) and non-confectionery snack foods (including Combos).[21]
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