How to Select the Right Electrician Vocational School near Fort Riley Kansas
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Fort Riley KS. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are a number of variables to evaluate. For example, many prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have found several that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole things that must be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your final decision when choosing an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are accessible.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs
There are three general options to get electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Fort Riley KS. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most typical programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Kansas trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards those who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require two years to finish and are offered by Kansas community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Kansas colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be carried out before licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Fort Riley KS can carry out a multitude of duties, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally about four to five years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails three levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you pick not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Training Classes Online
An alternative that you might have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, internet learning can be a more practical choice for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Driving expenses from Fort Riley KS are also lessened and some of the study materials can be available online also. All of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
When you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Fort Riley KS area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are other variables that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Fort Riley KS program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you acquire an excellent education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Also, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may signify that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It could also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Fort Riley KS graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Fort Riley KS area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Fort Riley KS electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Fort Riley home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Fort Riley KS, verify that the programs you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.
Accredited Electrician Schools Fort Riley Kansas
Selecting the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Accredited Electrician Schools and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Trade Schools Near Me. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician training that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world context, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Each program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Fort Riley KS.
More Electric Locations in Kansas
Fort Riley
Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Geary and Riley counties.[1] The portion of the fort that contains housing development is part of the Fort Riley census-designated place, with a residential population of 7,761 as of the 2010 census.[2] The fort has a daytime population of nearly 25,000. The ZIP Code is 66442.
Fort Riley is named in honor of Major General Bennet C. Riley, who led the first military escort along the Santa Fe Trail. The fort was established in 1853 as a military post to protect the movement of people and trade over the Oregon, California, and Santa Fe trails. In the years after the Civil War, Fort Riley served as a major United States Cavalry post and school for cavalry tactics and practice. The post was a base for skirmishes with Native Americans after the Civil War ended in 1865, during which time George A. Custer was stationed at the fort.
In 1887, Fort Riley became the site of the United States Cavalry School. The famous all-black 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments, the soldiers of which were called "Buffalo Soldiers", were stationed at Fort Riley at various times in the 19th and early 20th centuries. During World War I, the fort was home to 50,000 soldiers, and it is sometimes identified as ground zero for the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, which its soldiers were said to have spread all over the world. Since the end of World War II, various infantry divisions have been assigned there. Most notably, from 1955 to 1996 the post was home to the famed 1st Infantry Division, also called "Big Red One". Between 1999–2006, the post was headquarters to the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and known as "America's Warfighting Center". In August 2006, the Big Red One relocated its headquarters to Fort Riley from Leighton Barracks, Germany.
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