How to Enroll In the Best Welder Technical School near Glenside Pennsylvania
Selecting the right welding vocational school near Glenside PA 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 fine tuned your options, how do you pick the right one? Many prospective students start by reviewing the schools that are nearest to their homes. When they have found those that are within commuting distance, they are drawn toward the least expensive one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are crucial issues when evaluating welder technical schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before initiating your search for a trade school to become a welder, it’s sensible to develop 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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Welding Certificate and Degree Training
There are multiple options available to receive training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can earn a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are offered in Welding Engineering or Welding Technology, but are more advanced programs than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered along with an apprenticeship program. Below are brief explanations of the most typical welding programs offered in the Glenside PA area.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are normally offered by technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, designed mainly to develop welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or specialized skills for working welders.
- Associate Degree Programs will take 2 years to finish and are most often offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology provides a more extensive education than the diploma or certificate while still providing the foundation that prepares students to enter the workforce.
Some municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, so make sure to find out for your location of future employment. As required, the welder school you select should prepare you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to providing the suitable training to become a professional welder.
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Welder Certification Choices
There are a number of institutions that offer welder certifications, which assess the knowledge and skill level of those applying. A large number of Glenside PA employers not only require a degree or certificate from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a renowned agency such as the American Welding Society (AWS). A wide range of certifications are available based upon the type of work that the welder does. Some of the skills that certification can acknowledge are the welder’s ability to
- Work in compliance with specific codes
- Work with specified metal thicknesses
- Work with specific kinds of welds
- Operate according to contract specifications
As already stated, some cities, states or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those calling for licensing, a number also require certification for various kinds 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, look into the requirements for your local area and verify that the welding vocational school you choose prepares you for certification as needed.
Topics to Ask Welding Vocational Schools
After you have decided on the credential you would like to attain, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can start to evaluate schools. As you probably know, there are numerous welder vocational and trade schools in the Glenside PA area. That’s why it’s necessary to decide up front what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have already covered 2 important ones that many people look at first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As mentioned, although they are essential qualifiers, they are not the only ones that must be looked at. After all, the school you choose is going to provide the education that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So below are more factors you might want to consider before selecting a welder trade school.
Accreditation. It’s very important that the welding trade school you pick is accredited by either a national or a regional agency. There are 2 basic kinds of accreditation. The school may receive Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on an individual program the school offers, such as Welding Technology. So make certain that the program you select is accredited, not just the school itself. Also, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, the accreditation might also assist in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available in Glenside PA for schools that are not accredited. Also, for those states or local governments that mandate licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited as well.
Job Assistance and Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of welding degree or certificate programs are provided combined with an apprenticeship program. Some other schools will assist in placing you in a job or an apprenticeship upon graduation. Find out if the schools you are reviewing assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. The schools should have associations with local unions and various metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. Older schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can utilize for placements. These programs can help students find employment and develop relationships within the Glenside PA welding community.
Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that begin an educational program and complete it. It’s important that the welder school you choose has a higher completion rate. A low rate might mean that the students who joined the program were dissatisfied with the training, the instructors, 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 an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of Glenside PA employer relationships to help students obtain employment or apprenticeships after graduation.
Up-to-date Facilities and Equipment. Once you have decreased your selection of welder schools to two or three possibilities, you should consider visiting the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Make sure that both the equipment and the facilities that you will be taught on are up-to-date. In particular, 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 already in an apprenticeship program, ask the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Glenside PA welding professional if they can give you a few suggestions.
School Location. Even though we already briefly discussed the importance of location, there are a couple of additional points that we need to deal with. You should keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the welder school you pick must be within driving distance of your Glenside PA home. If you do decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs 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 provides a job placement or apprenticeship program, more than likely their placements are within the school’s local community. So the location of the school should be in an area or state where you ultimately will want to work.
Small Classes. Individualized instruction is essential for a manual trade such as welding. It’s possible to be overlooked in bigger classes and not receive much one-on-one instruction. Ask what the typical class size is for the welder programs you are reviewing. Inquire if you can sit in on some classes so that you can see just how much personal attention the students are getting. 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 credentials and certifications they have earned.
Convenient Class Scheduling. Lots of folks learn a new profession while still working at their present job. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are looking at are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Glenside PA, make sure that the schools you are looking at provide those alternatives. If you can only enroll part-time, make certain that the school you decide on offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make up classes if you you miss any due to illness, work or family emergencies.
Online Welder Degree and Certificate Programs
Welding is very much a manual kind of vocation, and for that reason not extremely suitable for training online. However, there are a few online welding courses offered by various community colleges and trade schools in the greater Glenside PA area that can count toward a certificate or degree program. These classes mainly deal with such subjects as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give a novice a basis to start their training and education. However, 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 have to be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is more appropriate for seasoned welders that desire to advance their expertise or possibly obtain a more advanced degree. So if you should come across an online welding degree or certificate program, be very cautious and make certain that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.
Best Evening Welding Courses Glenside PA
Selecting the right welding school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally stopped by our website because you had an interest in Best Evening Welding Courses and wanted more information on the topic Compare Online Welding Courses. However, as we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the programs you are considering. It’s a must that any welding school that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their personal welding machine to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional welder in Glenside PA.
Other Pennsylvania Welder Locations
Glenside, Pennsylvania
Glenside is a census-designated place (CDP) located in Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It borders Northwest Philadelphia. The population was 8,384 at the 2010 census on a land area of only 1.3 square miles. The Glenside station is one of the busiest in the SEPTA system. Glenside is located about six miles from Center City Philadelphia.
Glenside is bordered to the south by Wyncote, the east by Jenkintown, west by Laverock and Cheltenham twp section of North Hills, and to the north by the Abington twp neighborhoods of North Hills, Ardsley, Roslyn, and Abington.
Glenside is split into two townships: Abington Township, and Cheltenham Township, with the latter being where the following are located: United States Post Office, Glenside Library, and Glenside Memorial Hall.
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