How to Become an Electrician in Enid Oklahoma
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Enid OK. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are so many variables to consider. For example, some students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their home. Once they have located some that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the only things that must be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are accessible.
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Enid OK
There are three general approaches to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Enid OK. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Often these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are brief descriptions of the three most common programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Oklahoma vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take two years to complete and are provided by Oklahoma junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Oklahoma colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Enid OK can undertake a vast array of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally about four to five years of experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically assess electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be acquired in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes 3 levels of proficiency:
- 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 crucial that the electrician tech school that you choose not only furnishes a solid academic 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 Training Classes in Enid OK
A possibility that you may have looked at is selecting an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, internet learning might be a more convenient choice for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Driving expenses from Enid OK are also reduced and some of the study materials can be available on line as well. Each 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.
Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Once you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Because there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Enid OK region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are other variables that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Enid OK program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive a superior education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states mandate 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 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 indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It may also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which can mean more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Enid OK graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught along 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 electrical businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Enid OK area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Enid OK electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Enid residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in 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 individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to some of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Enid OK, check that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Enid OK?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Enid OK area.
Enid, Oklahoma
Enid (ē'nĭd) is a city in Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 49,379, making it the ninth-largest city in Oklahoma. It is the county seat of Garfield County.[7] Enid was founded during the opening of the Cherokee Outlet in the Land Run of 1893, and is named after Enid, a character in Alfred, Lord Tennyson's Idylls of the King. In 1991, the Oklahoma state legislature designated Enid the "purple martin capital of Oklahoma."[8] Enid holds the nickname of "Queen Wheat City" and "Wheat Capital" of Oklahoma and the United States for its immense grain storage capacity, and has the third-largest grain storage capacity in the world.[1]
In summer 1889, M.A. Low, a Rock Island official, visited the local railroad station then under construction, and inquired about its name. At that time, it was called Skeleton. Disliking the original name, he renamed the station Enid after a character in Alfred Lord Tennyson's Idylls of the King.[9] However, a more fanciful story of how the town received its name is popular. According to that tale, in the days following the land run, some enterprising settlers decided to set up a chuckwagon and cook for their fellow pioneers, hanging a sign that read "DINE". Some other, more free-spirited settlers, turned that sign backward to read, of course, "ENID". The name stuck.
During the opening of the Cherokee Outlet in the Land Run of 1893, Enid was the location of a land office which is now preserved in its Humphrey Heritage Village, part of the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center. Enid, the rail station, (now North Enid, Oklahoma) was the original town site endorsed by the government.[10] It was platted by the surveyor W. D. Twichell, then of Amarillo, Texas.[11]
Pick the Ideal Electrician Technical School near Enid OK
Picking the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most important 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 between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every program provides different options for certification also. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Enid OK.
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