Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Olathe KS 66051

How to Become an Electrician in Olathe Kansas

Olathe KS electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Olathe KS. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are a number of variables to examine. For instance, some prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have located several that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant, they are not the only things that need to be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are available.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Olathe KS

Olathe KS electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general options to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Olathe KS. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are short explanations of the 3 most common programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Kansas technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards students who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are offered by Kansas community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Kansas 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 more typically four years be carried out prior to licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites

Olathe KS electricians working on power lines Electricians in Olathe KS can perform a vast array of services, including 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 become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be acquired in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases includes 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you pick not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might need to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Schools Online in Olathe KS

attending electrician school online in Olathe KS An alternative that you might have looked at is selecting an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical option for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting costs from Olathe KS are also lessened and some of the study materials can be available on line as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Olathe KS electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Olathe KS region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational schools 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 an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Olathe KS program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Also, 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate may signify that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It could also signify 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 broader directory of alumni, which can produce 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 a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Olathe KS students acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Olathe KS area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Olathe KS electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Olathe home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Olathe KS, check that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make 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 responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Olathe KS?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Olathe KS area.

Olathe, Kansas

Olathe (/oʊˈleɪθə/ oh-LAY-thə) is a city in, and is the county seat of, Johnson County, Kansas, United States.[6] Located in northeastern Kansas, it is the fourth most populous city in Kansas, with a population of 125,872 persons as of 2010.[7] Olathe is also the fourth-largest city in the Kansas City metropolitan area. It is bordered by the cities of Lenexa to the north, Overland Park to the east, De Soto to the northwest, and Gardner to the southwest.

Olathe was founded by Dr. John T. Barton in the spring of 1857. He rode to the center of Johnson County, Kansas, with another Free State Settler, M. Lester, and staked two quarter sections of land as the town site.[citation needed] He later described his ride to friends: "...the prairie was covered with verbena and other wild flowers. I kept thinking the land was beautiful and that I should name the town Beautiful."[citation needed] Purportedly, Barton asked a Shawnee interpreter how to say "Beautiful" in his native language. The interpreter responded, "Olathe."[8]

Olathe was incorporated in 1857,[9] and while not the first city in Johnson County, its rapid growth lead to it being named the county seat in October 1859.[8] Rising tensions across the nation over the issue of slavery lead to numerous clashes between abolitionists settlers and neighboring slave state Missouri. These clashes would further escalate and become a part of the greater conflict known as Bleeding Kansas. With the admission of Kansas into the Union as a free state in 1861, violence began to dissipate. Peace, however, would continue to elude Olathe for many years to come. In 1861 Union officials and local military forces created a military post in the city. It housed one company of troops along with the local milita.

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Select the Right Electrician Trade School near Olathe KS

Selecting the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every training program offers unique options for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you pick is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Olathe KS.