How to Choose the Right Welding Technical School near New Bethlehem Pennsylvania
Locating the ideal welding vocational school near New Bethlehem PA is an important first step to beginning your new occupation as a professional welder. But since there are a lot of schools to select from, how do you determine which ones to consider? And more notably, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you select the right one? A number of prospective students begin by checking out the schools that are closest to their homes. Once they have identified those that are within driving distance, they gravitate toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are crucial concerns when examining welder vocational schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors include such things as accreditation, reputation and job placement rates. So before starting your search for a trade school to become a welder, it’s prudent to develop a list of qualifications that your selected school must have. But before we delve into our due diligence checklist, let’s cover a little bit about how to become a welder.
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Welder Degree and Certificate Training
There are multiple alternatives available to obtain training as a welder in a trade or technical school. You can obtain a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced programs than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered along with an apprenticeship program. Below are short descriptions of the most prevalent welding programs offered in the New Bethlehem PA area.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by trade and technical schools and require about one year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, fashioned largely to teach welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or specialized skills for experienced welders.
- Associate Degree Programs will take 2 years to finish and are usually offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology provides a more well-rounded education than the certificate or diploma while still supplying the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.
Some municipalities and states do have licensing requirements for welders, therefore don’t forget to find out for your location of potential employment. If needed, the welder school you pick should ready you for any licensing examinations that you will have to take in addition to providing the proper training to become a professional welder.
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Welder Certification Choices
There are various organizations that offer welder certifications, which test the knowledge and skill level of those applying. Numerous New Bethlehem PA 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). A wide range of certifications are offered 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 certain metal thicknesses
- Work with various kinds of welds
- Perform based on contract specifications
As formerly stated, some states, cities or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those calling for licensing, a number additionally require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a way to prove to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and experienced welder. So similarly as with licensing, check the requirements for your local area and make sure that the welding technical school you decide on prepares you for certification as needed.
Subjects to Ask Welder Vocational Programs
When you have chosen the credential you want 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 New Bethlehem PA area. That’s why it’s essential to establish up front what qualifications your school of choice must have. We have previously covered a couple of important ones that most people consider first, which are location and tuition cost. As mentioned, although they are very important qualifications, they are not the only ones that should be looked at. After all, the school you pick is going to provide the training that will be the foundation of your new vocation as a welder. So below are more factors you might need to evaluate before picking a welding technical school.
Accreditation. It’s extremely important that the welder tech school you choose is accredited by either a regional or a national agency. There are 2 standard kinds of accreditation. The school may attain Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a single program the school offers, for instance Welding Technology. So make certain that the program you select is accredited, not just the school alone. Additionally, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). In addition to helping ensure that you get a superior education, the accreditation may also assist in getting financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available in New Bethlehem PA for non-accredited schools. Finally, for those states or municipalities that require licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited as well.
Apprenticeship and Job Placement Programs. Many welding certificate or degree programs are provided combined with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will help place you in a job or an apprenticeship after graduation. Find out if the schools you are reviewing assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. These schools should have partnerships 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 utilize for placements. These programs can help students find employment and establish relationships within the New Bethlehem PA welding community.
Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that start an instructional program and complete it. It’s important that the welder school you select has a higher completion rate. A low rate might mean that the students who were in the program were dissatisfied with the instruction, the teachers, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also a good indicator of the quality of training. A higher job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of New Bethlehem PA contacts to assist students secure apprenticeships or employment upon graduation.
Modern Facilities and Equipment. Once you have narrowed down your selection of welder programs to two or three options, you should think out going to the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Make sure that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be taught on are up-to-date. Specifically, 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 New Bethlehem PA welding professional if they can give you some pointers.
School Location. Even though we previously briefly talked about the significance of location, there are a couple of additional points that we should deal with. You should remember that unless you are able to move, the welder school you select must be within driving distance of your New Bethlehem PA home. If you do choose to enroll in an out-of-state school, apart from relocation expenses there may be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is especially true for welder diploma programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school provides 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 an area or state where you ultimately will desire to work.
Small Classes. One-on-one instruction is essential for a manual trade such as welding. It’s easy to get overlooked in larger classes and not get much personalized training. Find out what the usual class size is for the welding schools you are looking at. Inquire if you can attend some classes so that you can experience just how much individual attention the students are getting. While there, speak with several of the students and get their feedback. Also, chat with a few of the trainers and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they have earned.
Flexible Class Schedules. Lots of folks learn a new profession while still working at their current job. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are considering are flexible enough to satisfy your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near New Bethlehem PA, verify that the schools you are assessing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you choose offers part-time enrollment. Also, check to see what the policy is to make up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Online Welding Schools
Welding is truly a manual type of vocation, and for that reason not extremely suitable for online training. Even so, there are some online welding programs offered by specific community colleges and trade schools in the greater New Bethlehem PA area that can be credited toward a degree or certificate program. These courses mainly deal with such topics as safety, reading blueprints, and metallurgy. They can help give a beginner a basis to begin their education and training. Nevertheless, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or work with welding materials unless you actually do it. Clearly that can’t be done online. These skills must 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 expertise or perhaps earn a more advanced degree. So if you should discover an online welding degree or certificate program, be very careful and make certain that the larger part of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.
Guide to Accredited Schools for Welders New Bethlehem PA
Selecting the best 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 Guide to Accredited Schools for Welders and wanted more information on the topic Guide to Weekend Schools for Welders. However, as we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare between the programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any welder training program that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their personal welding machine to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional welder in New Bethlehem PA.
Other Pennsylvania Welder Locations
New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
New Bethlehem is located along the southern border of Clarion County at 41°0′12″N 79°19′51″W / 41.00333°N 79.33083°W / 41.00333; -79.33083 (41.003302, -79.330935).[6] It is in the valley of Redbank Creek, which separates the borough from South Bethlehem, Armstrong County to the south.
Pennsylvania Route 28 passes through the borough, crossing Redbank Creek into South Bethlehem, then leading southwest 20 miles (32 km) to Kittanning on the Allegheny River. To the northeast, PA 28 leads 20 miles (32 km) to Brookville and Interstate 80. Pennsylvania Route 66 intersects PA 28 in the center of New Bethlehem and leads north 13 miles (21 km) to I-80 and 16 miles (26 km) to Clarion, the county seat. PA 66 travels with PA 28 southwest to Kittanning. Pennsylvania Route 861 leads west from New Bethlehem 12 miles (19 km) to Rimersburg.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough of New Bethlehem has a total area of 0.50 square miles (1.3 km2), of which 0.46 square miles (1.2 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 9.92%, is water.[5]
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