THenningsen: Around 1997 I got highly PO'd at a local shop that charged me a second time to repair something they had fab'd for me that had broken, and decided to learn to weld "correctly" so that I could weld my own aluminum and stainless steel in addition to mild steel (I'm a hobbyist and boat owner). I started taking welding classes 2 nts/wk at the local jr. college (in so. California). I took beginning arc/stick, intermed stick, MIG, and 3 semesters of TIG. That took 2-1/2 years; when I finished (wasn't interested in certification or other similar courses, as I wasn't going to weld for a living) they made me a teaching assistant in the beginning stick course, back where I had started. I was able to continue to practice and make things while the beginning students were in the classroom, then I helped the instructor during the second half of the evening in the welding shop.
Some of the benefits of going to the local jr college: Two competent instructors from whom to learn; late model equipment on which to practice welding; unlimited supply of practice material (in particular aluminum and stainless steel in the later courses; welding rod at a hefty student discount; a very BIG textbook on the entire spectrum of welding at a discounted student price; 10% discount on all supplies/equipment at local weldiing supply shops by showing my student ID card. After I became a teaching assistant I was allowed to use the "rest of the equipment reserved for the instructors" that was normally locked up, such as a brake, a roll, drill-press, and so forth. In addition there were specialty welders available for use that were normally not part of any of the courses, such as a spot welder and a band saw blade welder. And, as a volunteer teaching assistant, the college issued me a complimentary parking permit; having it allowed me to go to the shop anytime it was open and work on my own stuff, provided there was space available. And, over the next two or three years, I picked up two regulators that were being thrown out, had them repaired for about half the cost of new ones, and now use them in my own shop. The head of the welding dept had a budget to spend every year, and knew that if he didn't spend it, he would get less the next year, so there was a constant renewal of equipment -- sometimes the several teaching assistants could pick up used equipment at an very good prices.
A few weeks ago I was at a metal supply yard ordering material for a project, and was shown an aluminum assembly that had been welded by a professional shop nearby. I recognized immediately that I'm a much better welder that whoever made that item, even though I'm only a hobbyist.
The downside of the jr/community college courses is that the courses are usually VERY crowded at the beginning of each semester -- sometimes three or four people to each machine. But, every semester the same thing happened: After a few weeks, the chaff started to melt away; in particular the 18 to 20 yr-olds who thought that they were going to get a $25. 00/hr job after one semester in the welding shop. They didn't realize they had to learn/master 9 joints in five different welding positiions, for a total of 45 different joints/welds in EACH welding process they wished to learn; at 2 nts per week that took a minimum of two years. And, they didn't like getting burned, having holes burned in their $75 sports shoes, getting hot cinders down their backsides because they didn't pull their pants up, having to take off their lip, nose and tongue jewelry, etc. Also, if you are a dedicated student, you'll find yourself getting to the college welding shop as soon as it opens in the evening, and staying as late as the instructors will let you, in order to get as much "time under the hood" as possible. 45 joints/welds is a LOT to learn in 18 weeks, in addition to the classroom book-work.
So, once you tough-out the first three or four weeks of each semester, you'll find that the local jr/comm college is THE best place to go and also the least expensive. Good luck.
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