How to Find the Best Electrician Trade School near Atwood Oklahoma
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Atwood OK. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are so many variables to examine. For instance, many potential students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have located a few that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though cost and location are important, they are not the only factors that should be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are available.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are several approaches to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Atwood OK. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are short explanations of the three most common programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Oklahoma technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to complete and are provided by Oklahoma community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Oklahoma colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements
Electricians in Atwood OK can carry out a vast array of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 3 levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you select not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes
An option that you might have contemplated is enrolling in an electrician online 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 situation they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, distance learning might be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Travelling expenses from Atwood OK are also reduced and some of the study materials may be available online as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Atwood OK area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Atwood OK school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you obtain a superior education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved 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 could suggest that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It might also signify that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to utilize 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 additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Atwood OK students obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Atwood OK area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Atwood OK electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Atwood residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to some of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Atwood OK, check that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.
Education Needed To Be An Electrician Atwood Oklahoma
Choosing the right electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Education Needed To Be An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Certificate. But as we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every program provides different options for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Atwood OK.
More Electric Locations in Oklahoma
Atwood, Oklahoma
The town is named for Chester C. Atwood, an early settler of what would later become Hughes County, Oklahoma. Atwood was an educated farmer, extensive area landowner, and elected commissioner of Hughes County. He was born in July 1862 in central Texas, to natives of Tennessee who had migrated to Texas before the Civil War. In 1881, Atwood left Texas for the Mushulatubbee District of the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory. Settling in western Tobucksy County, some 28 miles (45 km) west of a pioneer general store owned by J.J. McAlester, Atwood in 1882 married a young woman named Patsy Ann, of the Choctaw Nation, giving him settlement rights by marriage. By 1885 he was farming 25 acres (100,000 m2) of what later would become eastern Hughes County, and was enumerated in the Choctaw Nation census of that year.
By 1900, Chester Atwood had increased his land holdings and his family included wife Patsy Ann (familiarly called Mattie), daughters Ottie (b. 1883) and Arrie (b. 1886), son Bennie (b. 1887), daughter Allie (b. 1889), son Coleman (b. 1891), and daughters Lizzie (b. 1893) and Ambrozia (b. 1895). Two other children born after 1900 died before reaching adulthood.
At statehood, county lines in place under the Choctaw Nation were redrawn, and that portion of Tobucksy County in which Newburg lay, fell inside the new boundary of Hughes County. On December 3, 1909, two years after Oklahoma statehood, the town of Newburg was renamed "Atwood", honoring Chester C. Atwood as one of the significant pioneer members of the community.
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