How to Become an Electrician in Colony Kansas
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Colony KS. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are so many points to examine. For example, some potential students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have located some that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the sole things that must be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your final judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are available.
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Colony KS
There are multiple options to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Colony KS. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the three most common programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Kansas technical and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are provided by Kansas community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Kansas colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Colony KS can carry out a multitude of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically about four to five years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in several specialties, including 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 organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you pick not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Colony KS
A possibility that you might have looked at is selecting an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, distance learning might be a more practical choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Travelling expenses from Colony KS are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be available online also. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Colony KS region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before choosing an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Colony KS school and program 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 obtain a quality education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states mandate 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 percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate might suggest that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also signify that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high 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 affirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Colony KS students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational 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 within their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Colony KS area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm 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 already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Colony KS electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Colony residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the instructors 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 reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Colony KS, verify that the schools you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Colony KS?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Colony KS area.
Colony, Kansas
Colony is located at 38°4′15″N 95°21′58″W / 38.07083°N 95.36611°W / 38.07083; -95.36611 (38.070803, -95.366109).[10] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.52 square miles (1.35 km2), all of it land.[1]
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Colony has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[11]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 408 people, 177 households, and 112 families residing in the city. The population density was 784.6 inhabitants per square mile (302.9/km2). There were 192 housing units at an average density of 369.2 per square mile (142.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.4% White, 1.7% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.2% of the population.
Pick the Right Electrician Tech School near Colony KS
Picking the right electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Colony KS.
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