How to Select the Best Welder Trade School near Phillipsburg New Jersey
Finding the ideal welder school near Phillipsburg NJ is an essential first step to launching your new career as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to pick from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more significantly, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you select the best one? Most prospective students start by reviewing the schools that are closest to their residences. When they have found those that are within commuting distance, they are drawn toward the least costly one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are important issues when evaluating welding technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other considerations include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before initiating your search for a trade school to become a welder, it’s sensible to create a list of qualifications that your chosen 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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Welding Certificate and Degree Training Courses
There are a number of options available to get training as a welder in a trade or vocational school. You can earn a a certificate, a diploma or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are offered in Welding Engineering or Welding Technology, but are more advanced degrees than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered along with an apprenticeship program. Following are short explanations of the most prevalent welding programs offered in the Phillipsburg NJ area.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, fashioned primarily to teach 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 furnishing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.
A number of states and municipalities do have licensing requirements for welders, therefore don’t forget to check for your location of future employment. If required, the welder school you select should ready you for any licensing exams that you will have to pass in addition to furnishing the suitable training to become a professional welder.
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Welding Certification Alternatives
There are various institutions that offer welding certifications, which test the skill level and knowledge of those applying. A large number of Phillipsburg NJ employers not only require a degree or certificate 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 offered dependent on the type 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 specific metal thicknesses
- Work with various kinds of welds
- Perform based on contract specifications
As formerly stated, some states, cities or local municipalities have licensing requirements 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 a highly skilled and qualified welder. So just as with licensing, look into the requirements for your location and confirm that the welder tech school you select preps you for certification if needed.
Topics to Ask Welding Trade Programs
Once you have decided on the credential you would like to attain, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to compare schools. As you probably know, there are many welder vocational and trade schools in the Phillipsburg NJ area. That’s why it’s important to decide up front what qualifications your selected school must have. We have already covered 2 important ones that many people consider first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As mentioned, although they are essential qualifications, they are not the only ones that need to be considered. After all, the school you choose is going to provide the education that will be the foundation of your new career as a welder. So below are more factors you might need to evaluate before choosing a welding trade school.
Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welding technical school you choose is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are 2 basic kinds of accreditation. The school may attain Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a specific program the school has, for example Welding Technology. So make sure 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 organization, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping make sure that you receive a superior education, the accreditation can also help in getting financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not offered in Phillipsburg NJ for non-accredited schools. Finally, for those states or municipalities that require licensing, they may require that the welding training program be accredited as well.
Job Placement and Apprenticeship Programs. Many welding degree or diploma 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 reviewing assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. These schools must have partnerships with local unions and various 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 referrals. These programs can assist students in finding employment and develop associations within the Phillipsburg NJ welding community.
Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that enroll in an educational program and finish it. It’s important that the welding school you select 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 a good indicator of the quality of training. A higher job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of Phillipsburg NJ contacts to help students secure apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.
Up-to-date Equipment and Facilities. Once you have limited your choice of welder schools to 2 or 3 possibilities, you should think out going to the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Confirm that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are modern. Specifically, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be working with on the job. If you are uncertain what to look for, and are currently in an apprenticeship program, ask the master welder you are working under for guidance. If not, ask a local Phillipsburg NJ welding contractor if they can give you some suggestions.
School Location. Even though we previously briefly covered the relevance of location, there are a couple of additional points that we should deal with. You should keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the welding program you choose must be within driving distance of your Phillipsburg NJ home. If you do choose to attend an out-of-state school, apart from moving costs there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially the case for welding diploma programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school offers 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 a region or state where you ultimately will desire to work.
Small Classes. Individualized training is essential for a manual trade such as welding. It’s easy to get lost in larger classes and not receive much personalized instruction. Find out what the average class size is for the welding schools you are considering. Ask if you can sit in on some classes so that you can witness how much individual attention the students are receiving. While there, talk with several of the students and get their opinions. Similarly, chat with a few of the teachers and ask what their welding experience has been and what certifications and credentials they hold.
Flexible Class Schedules. Lots of folks learn a new trade while still working at their current job. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are looking at are convenient enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Phillipsburg NJ, confirm that the schools you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify 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 Welding Certificate and Degree Programs
Welding is truly a hands-on kind of profession, and consequently not extremely suitable for training online. However, there are a few online welding courses offered by various community colleges and technical schools in the greater Phillipsburg NJ area that can be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These courses primarily deal with such subjects as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a foundation to initiate their training and education. Nevertheless, the most critical point is that you can’t learn how to weld or work with welding materials until you actually do it. Obviously that can’t be done 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 would like to advance their expertise or perhaps obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding degree or certificate program, be extremely cautious and confirm that the greater part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.
Affordable Online Welding Classes Phillipsburg NJ
Selecting the ideal welding school 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 Affordable Online Welding Classes and wanted more information on the topic Affordable Part Time Welding Classes. However, as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare among the programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any welder training program that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their own welding machine to train on. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you choose is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional welder in Phillipsburg NJ.
Other New Jersey Welder Locations
Phillipsburg, New Jersey
The town is located along the Delaware River in western New Jersey, on the border with Pennsylvania, and is considered part of the Delaware Valley region and the eastern border of the Lehigh Valley region. The Norfolk Southern Railway's Lehigh Line (formerly the main line of the Lehigh Valley Railroad with a mix of main line trackage combined long leased to the Central Railroad of New Jersey by its builder Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company), runs through Phillipsburg on its way cross river to Easton, Pennsylvania. The Belvidere Delaware Railroad was leased (1871) and later acquired by the Pennsylvania Railroad connecting the lower Poconos to Trenton, New Jersey and Philadelphia.
As of 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 14,950,[10][11][12] reflecting a decline of 216 (-1.4%) from the 15,166 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 591 (-3.8%) from the 15,757 counted in the 1990 Census.[22]
The town grew from a sleepy agricultural village (in 1824), and was transformed into a transportation hub and shipping center as the Delaware terminus of the Morris Canal (1829-1924), the first transportation infrastructure project (of several, each eventually) giving the community a direct connection 107 miles (172 km) to New York City. The Central Railroad of New Jersey would soon follow with a connection, but the community's growth (and for a long while, its importance) was that it reached the canal terminals of both the Delaware Canal and the Lehigh Canal by its cross-river cable ferry system to Easton, PA. In 1853, the Lehigh Valley Railroad connected across the river with the CNJ and a passenger shortline railroad, the Belvidere Delaware Railroad, as well as the Morris Canal, all within Phillipsburg. Rapid growth followed quickly.
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