How Difficult is Welding School in Virginia Beach?

If you are interested in a new career in the construction, maintenance, or manufacturing sectors then welding presents an intriguing possibility. However, you may feel deterred because of how difficult it can seem. With various certifications required by employers, you may worry that formal welding school may be both difficult to graduate from and of dubious value in attaining future employment prospects.

Today we are taking a closer look at the degree of difficulty in welding schools. Also, how these challenging programs can help you become fully certified for welding positions available in the Virginia Beach area.

What to Expect In Welding School

Welding can be a tough trade to learn but, like any other trade, it can be mastered with sufficient time and effort. It is often not a question of what difficulties will be faced so much as how much of an investment of time and practice will be required to learn the essential tasks and build proficiency in them.

Students that have a natural talent for welding and those who have had previous hands-on experience will naturally have an easier time in welding school, but no matter your background you will have every opportunity to become just as skilled in the trade as the next student. Welding school is built on a strong foundation of completing modules and practical demonstrations that ensure that you are able to show proficiency before moving on to tasks that are more difficult. While there is a good amount of classroom work, you will be surprised how many opportunities you have for hands-on work in the shop.

The Challenges of Welding School

As with any other educational program, welding school aims to be difficult and there will be some challenges to overcome. Perhaps the biggest challenge is going to be learning the fundamental tasks and putting them into practice. You will need to do a large amount of kinesthetic learning, or learning by doing, and be patient with yourself as you undergo trial and error with these unfamiliar tasks.

You will need to strictly adhere to safety standards and wear all required protective equipment because there is a significant risk of injury if tasks are performed incorrectly. Repetition of tasks until they become second nature may seem tedious, but it is necessary if you want to be a skilled worker that get consistent results from their labor. It also must be said that welding can be a very tiring and physical job, and practice will allow you to build the strength and stamina that you need to perform the job for a full shift.

A Professional Capstone to Beginning Your Career

As you learn your trade in welding school, you will quickly learn not only the tasks that you must perform in the industry but also the value of your instruction in beginning a career as a professional welder. However, graduation is not the only hurdle that you will need to clear to begin your career. The value of a welding program can be defined by how well it prepares you to earn certifications from the AWS (American Welding Society).

These certifications are not easy to achieve, but welding schools have curriculums that are designed with the end goal of certification in mind for all its students. They are also virtually mandatory if you are going into a more technical area of the career field such as maritime welding or underwater welding. Formal instruction at a welding school will vastly increase your chances of performing well on certification exams and getting your career started off on the right foot.

With Challenges Come Rewards

Are you up to the challenge and ready to start a new career with an Associate of Occupational Science Degree in Maritime Welding Technology with Service Management in the Virginia Beach area? Contact our admissions department today at Advanced Technology Institute (ATI) for everything you need to get started.