How to Become an Electrician in Colby Kansas
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Colby KS. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of variables to evaluate. For instance, some potential students will start by looking for schools that are close to their residence. When they have located some that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the only factors that need to be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your final judgment when picking an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are available.
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near Colby KS
There are three general options to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Colby KS. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Often these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are short summaries of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Kansas vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to finish and are provided by Kansas junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Kansas institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Colby KS can carry out a multitude of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 3 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you pick not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes in Colby KS
An alternative that you might have looked at is choosing 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 entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more practical choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving costs from Colby KS are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
When you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Colby KS region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are additional variables that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Colby KS school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you receive an excellent education, it can assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, some states mandate 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It might also mean that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive 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 will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Colby KS grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Colby KS area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus 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 technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Colby KS electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Colby home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with a few of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Colby KS, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, 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 because of work, illness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Colby KS?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Colby KS area.
Colby, Kansas
In 1882, a post office was established near the center of Thomas County. Area homesteaders lived under harsh conditions in sod houses, creating demand for a town to provide lumber and other provisions to incoming settlers. J.R. Colby, a local land assessor and preacher, obtained a patent to establish the town in April 1884, and land was acquired for the town site three miles north of the post office in March 1885. The following month, the Kansas Secretary of State issued the Town Charter. Kansas Gov. John Martin named Colby the county seat in 1885, and the city was incorporated in 1886. The Union Pacific Railroad reached the city in 1887, and the Rock Island Railroad followed the next year.[8]
In 1941 the St. Thomas Hospital was built as part of the Works Progress Administration plan to build hospitals. This was one of 130 new hospitals to be built with these funds, it was one of two built in Kansas alone. Within the last couple of years, it was renovated to apartments under the name St. Thomas Historic Residences. [9]
Colby is located at 39°23′32″N 101°02′51″W / 39.392093°N 101.047532°W / 39.392093; -101.047532 (39.392093, -101.047532) at an elevation of 3,159 feet (963 m).[5][11] It lies on the south side of Prairie Dog Creek, a tributary of the Republican River, in the High Plains region of the Great Plains.[12] A small tributary of the creek flows northeast through the town.[13] Located at the interchange of Interstate 70 and K-25 in northwestern Kansas, Colby is 212 mi (341 km) east-southeast of Denver, 232 mi (373 km) northwest of Wichita, and 347 mi (558 km) west of Kansas City.[12][14]
Enroll in the Ideal Electrical Tech School near Colby KS
Picking the right electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each training program offers different options for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on 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 Colby KS.
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