How to Choose the Right Electrician Tech School near Dumas Texas
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Dumas TX. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many factors to consider. For example, some students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have identified some that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though location and cost are significant, they are not the only things that need to be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are available.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs
There are three general options to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Dumas TX. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the three most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Texas technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require two years to finish and are offered by Texas community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Texas colleges, but are less popular at 4 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 prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Dumas TX can perform a vast array of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around four to five years of practical experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be obtained in various specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves three levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Programs Online
An alternative that you might have contemplated is selecting an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, internet learning may be a more practical alternative for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Commuting costs from Dumas TX are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Once you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Dumas TX area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other variables that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have acquired 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 an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Dumas TX program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs 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 low completion rate might signify that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It could also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Dumas TX students secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Dumas TX area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Dumas TX electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Dumas home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Dumas TX, check that the programs you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.
Online Electrician Degree Dumas Texas
Selecting the right electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Online Electrician Degree and wanting more information on the topic What Degree Do You Need To Be An Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every training program provides different options for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to attend some 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 proper training, hard work and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Dumas TX.
More Electric Locations in Texas
Dumas, Texas
Dumas (/ˈdjuːməs/ DEW-mus) is a city in Moore County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,691 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Moore County.[3] Located about 50 miles north of Amarillo, the city is named for its founder, Louis Dumas (1856–1923). Dumas Avenue, the main thoroughfare, is also United States Highways 287 and 87.
Window on the Plains Museum, which offers exhibits on Moore County and the Texas Panhandle, is located on South Dumas Avenue, the main thoroughfare. Dumas is home to Moore County Airport, a general-aviation airport 2 miles west of the central business district.[4]
The Dumas government claims, with some documentation, that the song "I'm a Ding Dong Daddy From Dumas" was written about the city.[5] Composed in the late 1920s by Phil Baxter (a native Texan who lived for a time in Dumas) and Carl Moore, the song has also sometimes been claimed by Dumas in Desha County in southeastern Arkansas.
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