Even before the coronavirus pandemic, more and more learning has shifted to an online platform in recent years.
If a global shutdown has brought anything to light, it's that online learning comes with a list of pros and cons. While accessibility has increased since students can learn from home, it only applies to those with the appropriate technology, reliable internet access, and a quiet home office with little disruption.
Further complicating online learning is the inability to directly communicate with an instructor, distractions at home, and the general reality that people tend to disengage and lose focus without the social pressures of a classroom.
Some classes and careers also require hands-on learning to be certified, like nondestructive testing certifications. When it comes to NDT technician training, an online program cannot replicate the experiences of an NDT lab class. Here is why NDT lab class is essential to a technician’s education.
Research shows a significant gap between how well we learn on a screen and how we can learn in real life on paper. When learning shifts to online materials, comprehension is much lower than it might be in person.
In NDT classes, there are several manuals and diagrams that are integral to the education of an NDT technician. Aspiring technicians who do not attend NDT lab classes are at a significant disadvantage as they miss out on the benefits of comprehensive testing method learning, lab classes, and learning the steps of the various NDT methods. Without real world practice, technicians run the risk of being ill-prepared for entering the field of nondestructive testing.
NDT instructors have been in the field for a long time and will know the ins and outs of every method. In NDT lab classes, prospective technicians can rest assured that they are in great hands while working toward NDT certification.
It is critical that new technicians learn from someone who has regular practice in the field to understand emerging technology and the most up-to-date procedures for testing methods as well as put them into practice before going out into the field. This way, new technicians understand what really goes on in the field and any difficulties technicians may need to anticipate.
NDT methods like ultrasonic nondestructive testing and magnetic particle testing are complex, and it takes an experienced instructor who both knows the methods backward and forward and knows how to help students comprehend these complex ideas and practices. Fortunately, at TXNDT, all of our instructors are experienced professionals who work in the NDT field.
NDT lab courses are a critical component to becoming an NDT technician. TXNDT is a cut above the rest with superior NDT courses, knowledgeable instructors, and hands-on coursework to prepare all prospective technicians for the NDT certification.
Whether you are looking to hire nondestructive testing services to protect your assets or become a technician through NDT technician training, it is crucial to choose the right company to meet your NDT needs.
Check us out online, or give us a call today at 281-231-0001 to see how TXNDT can work for you!