How to Become an Electrician in Marlow Oklahoma
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Marlow OK. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are so many variables to examine. For example, many students will start by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have identified a few that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole factors that should be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should influence your final decision when picking an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Marlow OK
There are multiple options to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Marlow OK. You may 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 other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are short explanations of the 3 most common programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Oklahoma technical and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve two years to finish and are offered by Oklahoma junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Oklahoma colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Marlow OK can carry out a vast array of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around four to five years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be acquired in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves 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 trade school that you pick not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs in Marlow OK
An alternative that you may have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, internet learning can be a more practical option for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Travelling costs from Marlow OK are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
When you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Because there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Marlow OK area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are other factors that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before selecting an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Marlow OK school 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 obtain a superior education, it can help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it 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 of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It might also mean that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Marlow OK grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Marlow OK area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus 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 already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Marlow OK electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Marlow residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may 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 challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Marlow OK, check that the programs you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out 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 Marlow OK?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Marlow OK area.
Marlow, Oklahoma
Marlow is located in northern Stephens County, Oklahoma, in the southern part of the state, at 34°38′36″N 97°57′32″W / 34.64333°N 97.95889°W / 34.64333; -97.95889 (34.643410, -97.958806).[3]
As of the census of 2010, there were 4,662 people, 1,862 households, and 1,257 families residing in the city.[6] The population density was 657 people per square mile (253/km²). There were 2,119 housing units at an average density of 298.5 per square mile (115/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.2% white, 0.2% African American, 5.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 1.6% from other races, and 5.6% from two or more races.[6]Hispanics or Latinos were 4.4% of the population, having doubled since 2000.
There were 1,862 households out of which half (50.1%) were married couples, a third (34.3%) included children under the age of 18, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families.[6] Less than a third (28.9) of households were made up of individuals; 14.5% of households had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[6] The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.[6]
Pick the Right Electrical Trade School near Marlow OK
Choosing the ideal electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small 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 course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Each program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Marlow OK.
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