How to Enroll in the Right Electrician Technical School near Newton Kansas
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Newton KS. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are so many points to evaluate. For instance, many students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have found some that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the only qualifications that need to be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final judgment when picking an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are available.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are three general approaches to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Newton KS. You can enroll in 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. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are brief summaries of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Kansas trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who would like to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to complete and are offered by Kansas community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Kansas colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be performed before licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Newton KS can undertake a multitude of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing 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 become licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about four to five years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be earned in various specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 3 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you pick not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs
An option that you might have looked at is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools have become more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, distance learning may be a more practical option for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Commuting costs from Newton KS are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. All of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Once you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Newton KS area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are other factors that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Newton KS school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get a superior education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It might also signify that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Newton KS graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Newton KS area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Newton KS electrical company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Newton residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger 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 students and teachers. Speak with several of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Newton KS, verify that the programs you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.
Journeyman Electrician Classes Newton Kansas
Choosing the right electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Journeyman Electrician Classes and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Contractor Training Program. But as we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training program that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each training program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Newton KS.
More Electric Locations in Kansas
Newton, Kansas
Newton is a city in and the county seat of Harvey County, Kansas, United States.[1] As of the 2010 census, the city population was 19,132.[5] Newton is located 25 miles (40 km) north of Wichita. The city of North Newton is located immediately north, existing as a separate political entity.
For millennia, the land now known as Kansas was inhabited by Native Americans. In 1803, most of modern Kansas was secured by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1872, Harvey County was founded.
In August 1871, there was a Gunfight at Hide Park, in which a total of eight men were killed. The incident began with an argument between two local lawmen, Billy Bailey and Mike McCluskie. Because of this incident, Newton became known as "bloody and lawless—the wickedest city in the west.".[9]
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