How to Become an Electrician in La Crosse Kansas
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near La Crosse KS. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are a number of points to examine. For instance, many prospective students will start by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have identified several that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the only factors that should be examined. Also important 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 judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are offered.
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs near La Crosse KS
There are three general ways to get electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near La Crosse KS. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Bellow are short explanations of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Kansas trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to complete and are provided by Kansas junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Kansas colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. For that reason, many students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in La Crosse KS can undertake a vast array of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally around 4 to 5 years of experience is called for before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be acquired in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases includes 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you pick not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online in La Crosse KS
An option that you might have considered is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more accommodating option for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Driving costs from La Crosse KS are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available on line also. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Once you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the La Crosse KS region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial 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 an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the La Crosse KS program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you get an excellent education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list 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 an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist La Crosse KS grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with La Crosse KS area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local La Crosse KS electrical company if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your La Crosse home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near La Crosse KS, confirm that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near La Crosse KS?
Following is a little bit of background information about the La Crosse KS area.
La Crosse, Kansas
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of Rush County, Kansas, United States.[6] As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,342.[7] La Crosse proclaims itself the "Barbed Wire capital of the world.[8]
La Crosse was founded in 1876, was named after the city of La Crosse, Wisconsin.[9] La Crosse subsequently became the intended county seat, and county records were transferred there from the temporary county seat, nearby Rush Center. A county seat war ensued between the two communities, lasting until La Crosse was declared the permanent county seat and the construction of the county courthouse in 1888.[10]
In the 1960s, La Crosse became a regional center of barbed wire collecting, leading to the establishment of the Kansas Barbed Wire Museum and the nicknaming of the city as "The Barbed Wire Capital of the World".[11]
Choose the Right Electrician Vocational School near La Crosse KS
Choosing the best electrical trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician training that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in La Crosse KS.
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