Welding school..

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Hi Folks,  My son is interested in welding, has done the local basic adult evening school (3 courses- arc/mig/tig)and wants to delve deeper into pipe welding etc. He pointed out a local (New Jersey) school called Elite Welding that he's hoping to attend. The course is about 5 weeks and cost about 5k. I don't mind paying if it will help him land a good job in the welding field. I just wonder if there are better ways to spend 5k and are these types of private schools the best way to go.Thanks in advance for any thoughts, suggestions and advice on this.
Reply:Hello joem1, the private school may be an excellent option and if you don't mind paying that kind of money they may very well be able to get him on his way to a great career. Some of them have very good reputations and if he proves himself he may very well have a good in through them to find work. However, consider that community colleges, state voc/tech schools are taxpayer funded, on both a state level and a federal level. You can likely get a very good education for him through one of these and not break the bank in the process. Union options are also excellent choices since they essentially work on a "earn as you learn" type of system (paid a wage while they are learning and improving). Additionally, they are  in essence a work broker and can assist with continuing work opportunities. This is a very short rundown on what is out there, likely others will chime in and give a lot of addition valuable information. Good luck and best regards, AllanLast edited by aevald; 07-14-2015 at 01:34 PM.aevald


Reply:As for the school , do they provide a placement program after completion ? Does he graduate with any welding certifications ? If he does, most employers will still give him THEIR TEST. Shops have different qualifications and so  the wages reflect that. Maybe consider a shop where they will train him to their type of work. As mention a union apprenticeship program might be a option . Good luck.
Reply:I went to Tulsa Welding School in Jacksonville FL and I think the running price is about $13k these days. But it's 7 months long, 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, with one day each week dedicated to classroom instruction. I don't see $5k for 5 weeks as being a good return on investment for some reason. He could LEARN a lot in 5 weeks, but that is probably not quite long enough to actually develop his skills enough to be highly employable. I think $5k would be best utilized in buying him supplies to practice on his own. If he already has been given some instruction with those night classes, he has the gist of it, and just needs time under the hood. That's what most of school is anyway.  There is a plethora of great YouTube videos and channels to get additional techniques or help from, and plenty of people on this forum I'm sure would have no problem helping out. I was in the Navy for 12 years and have done lots of training that I've had to facilitate to others after me, and I have a knack for regurgitating information as it was taught to me. I could almost teach the entire Tulsa Welding School curriculum by memory. I happened to have found my classroom materials about a month or so ago and would have no problem getting a copy of the entire book and sending it out. The information is self explanatory in the book and doesn't really require any facilitation by an instructor to learn it. It's mostly metallurgy, welding techniques, and information on fitting, which added to self-practice and a few Youtube videos would pretty much complete what he would have learned in school.I wouldn't recommend this route if he hadn't already taken some face to face instruction, but since he has, I think he could be ready to just practice. Of course this would be completely dependant on having an area to be able to practice welding. Im sure he'd be very thankful for you paying for the school, but his eyes would probably light up even more if you got him a welder and associated tools and scrap metal, which he'd end up wanting or needing after school most likely anyway. You could spend less than $2k easy on all that, and rent a garage or something somewhere for him to work out of if you don't have an area already, and still be under the $5k. Then, if he so chooses, he could be welding and making things for fun as practice and have some fun doing it with some satisfaction of completing a project, as opposed to just seeing the same plates or pipe over and over again. But to get good, he will need to put some time in on pipe either way.Last edited by TheBFA; 10-31-2015 at 08:24 PM.
Reply:i'd keep the 5 g, and arrange a deal w/ a self employed pipe welder (or whatever type welding he thinks he wants to do) to drag the kid around, and let him be his helper/gopher for a while, and let him watch and learn.   that way he can see what its really like.    then take it from there
Reply:Not sure if your son decided to attend this school, but I just finished their stick night course. And I am currently taking their tig course. These guys know what their doing. I am extremely satisfied with this school. The instructors are extremely knowledgeable and are amazing welders themselves. Money well spent.
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Originally Posted by Mjb215

Not sure if your son decided to attend this school, but I just finished their stick night course. And I am currently taking their tig course. These guys know what their doing. I am extremely satisfied with this school. The instructors are extremely knowledgeable and are amazing welders themselves. Money well spent.
Reply:Here's another private school, run by a contractor that I worked for several years ago.  They are located in Cinncinnati, OH.http://www.eliteweldingacademy.com/p...lding-program/$15,000 tuition for 26 weeks of training.  About $576 per week.  The school in NJ may be good, but there are lots of good schools that teach welding.  I'd shop around before plunking down my $$$.Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
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Originally Posted by A_DAB_will_do

Two previous posts, and no location.  Do you have any connection with this welding school beyond being a student of theirs?  Forgive a skeptical man for asking questions, but inquiring minds want to know.I went through the program at Hobart Brothers several years ago.  The tuition there was about $14K, for nine and a half months; if I remember correctly.  The education I received, along with job placement assistance, and financial aid, was about $370 per week.  $1000 per week sounds like highway robbery to me.  I say, let the buyer beware...
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Originally Posted by TheBFA

I think $5k would be best utilized in buying him supplies to practice on his own. If he already has been given some instruction with those night classes, he has the gist of it, and just needs time under the hood. That's what most of school is anyway.  There is a plethora of great YouTube videos and channels to get additional techniques or help from, and plenty of people on this forum I'm sure would have no problem helping out.
Reply:ive got all recommended study materials for the CWI exam plus practice tests and such if interested...