How to Become an Electrician in Stickney South Dakota
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Stickney SD. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many points to evaluate. For instance, some prospective students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located several that are within driving range, they will pick the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the only things that need to be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Stickney SD
There are three general options to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Stickney SD. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are brief descriptions of the 3 most common programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by South Dakota trade and technical schools and take about a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards students who would like to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve two years to complete and are provided by South Dakota community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some South Dakota colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Stickney SD can perform a vast array of duties, such as 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 mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be obtained in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails 3 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 enroll in not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Training Classes Online in Stickney SD
An alternative that you might have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools are becoming more prevalent 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 obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning may be a more accommodating option for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Travelling expenses from Stickney SD are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be available on line as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
When you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Stickney SD area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program 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 must be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Stickney SD program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you acquire a superior education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states mandate 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It might also indicate that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to use 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 additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Stickney SD students obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Stickney SD area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Stickney SD electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Stickney residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be increased 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 larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to some of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the teachers 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 assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Stickney SD, check that the programs you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out 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 Stickney SD?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Stickney SD area.
Stickney, South Dakota
As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 284 people, 132 households, and 79 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,051.9 inhabitants per square mile (406.1/km2). There were 152 housing units at an average density of 563.0 per square mile (217.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.9% White and 1.1% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.4% of the population.
There were 132 households of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.2% were non-families. 38.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 24.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.87.
The median age in the town was 47 years. 23.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 3.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.7% were from 25 to 44; 23.3% were from 45 to 64; and 28.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.
Pick the Right Electrician Trade School near Stickney SD
Picking the ideal electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician training program that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each training program provides different options for certification also. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Stickney SD.
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