How to Become an Electrician in Frankfort Kansas
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Frankfort KS. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are a number of factors to evaluate. For instance, many prospective students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have found several that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the only factors that need to be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when selecting an electrician school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs near Frankfort KS
There are several ways to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Frankfort KS. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Kansas technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who would like to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require two years to finish and are offered by Kansas community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Kansas institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Frankfort KS can undertake a multitude of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in various specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails three levels of proficiency:
- 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 vocational school that you select not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools in Frankfort KS
An option that you might have contemplated is selecting an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning might be a more accommodating alternative for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Commuting costs from Frankfort KS are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available on line also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Frankfort KS region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are additional factors that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Frankfort KS school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you acquire a superior education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states mandate 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 considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate might signify that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also signify that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may produce 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 an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Frankfort KS graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught along 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 companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Frankfort KS area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Frankfort KS electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Frankfort residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with some of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Frankfort KS, check that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Frankfort KS?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Frankfort KS area.
Frankfort, Kansas
Frankfort is a city in Marshall County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 726.[6] The town is famous for the 32 men it lost during World War II, more per capita than any other community in the USA.[7]
Frankfort was laid out in 1867 when the Central Branch Union Pacific Railroad was built through the area.[8] The nearby post office of Nottingham, established in 1857, moved roughly a half-mile northwest to meet the railroad. It was named for Frank Schmidt, a member of the town company.[9] Frankfort was incorporated as a city of the third class in 1875.[10]
Frankfort is located at 39°42′14″N 96°25′5″W / 39.70389°N 96.41806°W / 39.70389; -96.41806 (39.703810, -96.417925).[11] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.02 square miles (2.64 km2), of which, 1.01 square miles (2.62 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.[1]
Select the Right Electrical Technical School near Frankfort KS
Picking the best electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Frankfort KS.
Other Cool Cities in Kansas
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
