How to Pick the Right Welding Trade School near Olive Branch Mississippi
Selecting the ideal welding school near Olive Branch MS is an important first step to beginning your new career as a professional welder. But since there are a lot of 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 select the best one? Most people begin by reviewing the schools that are closest to their residences. Once they have identified those that are within commuting distance, they are drawn toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and the cost of tuition are important issues when examining welder vocational 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 trade school to become a welder, it’s sensible 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.
Welding Certificate and Degree Training Classes
There are several options to get training as a welder in a technical or trade school. You can obtain a a certificate, a diploma or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are available in Welding Engineering or Welding Technology, but are more advanced programs than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also made available combined with an apprenticeship program. Following are brief explanations of the most prevalent welding programs offered in the Olive Branch MS.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are normally made available by technical and trade schools and require about one year to finish. They are more hands-on training in nature, fashioned mainly to develop welding skills. They can provide a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or additional skills for working welders.
- Associate Degree Programs will take two years to finish 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 supplying the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.
Many states and municipalities do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore make sure to find out for your location of potential employment. If needed, the welder school you pick should prep you for any licensing exams that you will need to take in addition to providing the suitable training to become a professional welder.
Welding Certification Choices
There are multiple organizations that offer welder certifications, which test the skill level and knowledge of those applying. Many Olive Branch MS employers not only expect a certificate or degree from an accredited welding school, but also certification from a respected agency like the American Welding Society (AWS). A variety of 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 specific kinds of welds
- Perform according to contract specifications
As previously mentioned, many states, cities or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those mandating licensing, some also require certification for different types of work. Certification is also a way to demonstrate to employers that you are an extremely skilled and qualified welder. So just as with licensing, check the requirements for your local area and make sure that the welding trade school you select preps you for certification as needed.
Points to Ask Welding Trade Schools
After you have chosen the credential you want to earn, a degree, certificate or diploma, you can start to compare schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of welder trade and vocational schools in the Olive Branch MS area. That’s why it’s necessary to decide in advance what qualifications your selected school must have. We have already discussed a couple of important ones that many people look at first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As mentioned, although they are essential qualifications, they are not the only ones that should be looked at. After all, the school you pick 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 need to evaluate before choosing a welder vocational school.
Accreditation. It’s essential that the welder vocational school you select is accredited by either a national or a regional organization. There are two basic types of accreditation. The school may receive Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a single program the school offers, for example Welding Technology. So confirm 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, such as 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 getting financial assistance or student loans, which are often not offered in Olive Branch MS for non-accredited schools. Also, 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. A large number of welding diploma or degree programs are provided combined with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will assist in placing you in an apprenticeship or a job after graduation. Find out if the schools you are considering assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job assistance program. The schools must have partnerships with local unions and other metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. Older schools may have a more substantial network of graduates that they can utilize for referrals. These programs can help students find employment and establish associations within the Olive Branch MS welding community.
Job Placement and Completion Rates. The completion rate is the percentage of students that enroll in an instructional program and complete it. It’s crucial that the welder school you choose has a high completion rate. A low 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 an indication of the caliber of training. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the program has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of Olive Branch MS employer relationships to help students obtain apprenticeships or employment after graduation.
Modern Equipment and Facilities. Once you have limited your selection of welder programs to two or three options, you should think out visiting the campuses to inspect their facilities. Verify that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date. In particular, the training equipment should be comparable to what you will be working with in the field. 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. Otherwise, ask a local Olive Branch MS welding contractor if they can give you some suggestions.
School Location. Even though we previously briefly talked about the importance of location, there are a few additional points that we should cover. You should remember that unless you have the ability to move, the welding program you choose needs to be within commuting distance of your Olive Branch MS home. If you do choose to attend an out-of-state school, apart from moving expenses there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly true for welding diploma programs offered by community colleges. Also, if the school offers 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 subsequently will want to work.
Smaller Classes. Personalized instruction is essential for a hands-on trade such as welding. It’s possible to be overlooked in larger classes and not receive much one-on-one instruction. Ask what the average class size is for the welding programs you are considering. Inquire if you can sit in on a few classes so that you can witness how much personal attention the students are getting. While there, talk with several of the students and get their opinions. Similarly, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they have earned.
Flexible Class Scheduling. Many people learn a new profession while still working at their present job. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are considering are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evenings or on weekends near Olive Branch MS, confirm that the schools you are assessing offer those alternatives. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you choose offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make up classes if you you miss any due to work, sickness or family circumstances.
Online Welder Certificate and Degree Programs
Welding is truly a manual kind of profession, and consequently not extremely compatible with online training. Even so, there are some online welding programs offered by various community colleges and vocational schools in the greater Olive Branch MS area that may be credited toward a certificate or degree program. These courses mainly cover such topics as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help provide a beginner a basis to initiate their education and training. However, the most significant point is that you can’t learn how to weld or work with welding materials unless you actually do it. Obviously that can’t be performed online. These skills have to be learned in an on-campus setting or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is better suited for seasoned welders that would like to advance their knowledge or possibly earn a more advanced degree. So if you should find an online welding degree or certificate program, be very cautious and confirm that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of setting.
Attending a Welding School in Olive Branch MS?
If you have decided to enroll in a welder training program in the Olive Branch Mississippi area, you may find the following information both informative and helpful about the location of your new school campus.
Olive Branch, Mississippi
Olive Branch is a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 33,484 at the 2010 census,[2] up from 21,054 in 2000. Olive Branch is part of the Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region that consists of three counties in southwest Tennessee, five counties in northwest Mississippi, and two counties in eastern Arkansas. From 1990 to 2010 Olive Branch was the fastest growing city in the United States, with a growth rate of 838%.[3] Along with other rapidly growing suburbs in DeSoto County, Olive Branch attributes most of its growth and development to the exodus of large numbers of middle-class families from central Memphis.
The first permanent Anglo settlers in the area were Stephen Flinn and his wife's brother-in-law, Milton Blocker. On April 13, 1836, they purchased 1,280 acres (5.2 km2) of land – known as Sections 34 and 35 – in newly created DeSoto County from Chickasaw chief Lush-Pun-Tubby for $1,600.[4][5] Flinn conveyed the land to Blocker for $6,400 in 1840. A small community initially known as "Cowpens" sprang up in the early 1840s. The name was changed to "Watson's Crossroads" in 1842. In 1846, when a post office was established, the name was changed again to "Olive Branch". Mrs. Frances Wilson Blocker, a descendant of one of the community's founders, suggested the name as a way to symbolize the biblical story of a dove bringing a branch to Noah. With the exception of a few skirmishes occurring in an area southwest of the community, Olive Branch escaped much of the destruction and violence during the Civil War.[4][5]
Olive Branch was incorporated as a town on May 1, 1874. Ben Wesson was elected as the first mayor.[6] At the first census conducted after incorporation in 1880, the population was 73. A railroad line was built through Olive Branch in 1885, connecting the town to Memphis and Birmingham. The town was officially designated a village on March 6, 1888.[4]
Find the Ideal Welding Vocational Program Olive Branch MS
Picking the ideal welder school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally stopped by our website because you had an interest in Underwater Welding Programs. However, as we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any welding training program that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own welding machine to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional welder in Olive Branch MS.
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