Licensing & Accreditation

American Welding Laboratories is a proprietary vocational school. We have met all of the requirements necessary to accept funds from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) as well as other state and federally-funded programs through agencies like AR Rehabilitations Services and WAGE funding from programs offered through the Fort Smith Adult Education Center. WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. The most notable requirement is that we must have met the standards to achieve licensure through the Arkansas State Board of Private Career Education. The Arkansas State Board of Private Career Education was established to provide consumer protection for students that enroll in private post-secondary career schools. A.C.A.§ 6-51-601 gives the Board responsibility for oversight, specifically for training that:

Leads to or enhances occupational qualifications,
In airframe or power plant mechanics;
As preparation for passing exams which may lead to employment; or
In driver education, excluding those courses taught to motor vehicle violators under court order

To obtain licensure through the Arkansas State Board of Private Career Education meant we had to meet multiple standards of quality in our instructors, curriculum, facility, administrative staff, and administrative procedures to ensure academic standards were met. We met all those standards.

We are proud to announce that we have also met all required criteria and are now officially approved by the Arkansas State Approving Agency for Veterans Affairs, under the Arkansas Department of Education, to accept funding through the G.I. Bill

While accreditation is not required for proprietary schools to operate or for students to advance and graduate, one significant advantage is it demonstrates that the school is actively committed to ongoing self-assessment and continuous improvement. Additionally, accreditation by agencies like the Council on Occupational Education (COE) enables students to access federal financial aid through FAFSA, broadening financial support opportunities.

AWL is now actively seeking accreditation from the Commission of the Council On Occupational Education. The Council on Occupational Education (COE) accredits post-secondary occupational institutions that offer certificate, diploma, or applied associate degree programs. Accreditation is a long process and one that requires us to meet several benchmarks along the way. Typically, the process can take 1-2 years. We will keep our community informed of our progress toward this goal.

A note about accreditation: Accreditation can sometimes be misunderstood. One primary disadvantage of not being accredited is that schools cannot participate in federal financial aid programs, such as FAFSA, which offers federal grants, student loans, and work-study opportunities. To address this limitation, AWL has partnered with specialized lenders, such as the Arkansas Rural Endowment Fund, to provide alternative financing options specifically designed for trade students. This ensures additional financial resources for students who may not qualify for programs like WIOA, WAGE, or other state and federal workforce development grants.