Things to Ask Electrician Trade Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nOnce you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Tonkawa OK area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, 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 assess prior to enrolling in an electrical trade school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>A large number of electrician trade schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Tonkawa OK school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.<\/p>\nHigh Completion and Placement Rates. <\/strong>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 course. A low completion rate may signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It could also mean that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and\/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, 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 field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Tonkawa OK graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Numerous electrician training programs are taught along 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 electrical contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Tonkawa OK area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Tonkawa OK electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Tonkawa home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Tonkawa OK, verify that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Tonkawa OK?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Tonkawa OK area.<\/p>\n
Tonkawa, Oklahoma<\/h3>
Named after the Tonkawa tribe, the city of Tonkawa was founded in March 1894, by Eli V. Blake and Wiley William Gregory. Blake and Gregory, originally from Kansas, claimed the land that would become Tonkawa in the Land Run of 1893. Prior to the land run, from 1879 to 1885, this area was home to the Nez Perce. The Blackwell and Southern Railway (later bought by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway) built a line through Tonkawa, which stimulated growth of the town. In 1901, the Oklahoma Territory Legislature established the University Preparatory School (now Northern Oklahoma College) here. By statehood, the population was 1,238. The discovery of oil caused a boom in the 1920s, and the population was 3,311 in 1930.[4]<\/p>
During World War II, Tonkawa was home to Camp Tonkawa, a Prisoner of War camp. Camp Tonkawa remained in operation from August 30, 1943 to September 1, 1945.[5] Built between October and December 1942, the 160-acre (0.65\u00a0km2) site contained more than 180 wooden structures for 3,000 German POW's as well as 500 U.S. Army guard troops, service personnel and civilian employees.[6] The first prisoners, consisting of German troops from the Afrika Corps, arrived in August 1943. During their internment, prisoners labored at local farms and ranches. In November 1943, a prison riot caused the death of a German soldier, Johannes Kunze. Eight prisoners briefly escaped, only to be recaptured.<\/p>
Tonkawa is located at 36\u00b040\u203249\u2033N 97\u00b018\u203233\u2033W\ufeff \/ \ufeff36.68028\u00b0N 97.30917\u00b0W\ufeff \/ 36.68028; -97.30917 (36.680362, -97.309219).[7] It is on the Salt Fork of the Arkansas River, 14 miles (23\u00a0km) west of Ponca City. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.6 square miles (15\u00a0km2), of which 5.6 square miles (15\u00a0km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10\u00a0km2) (0.36%) is water.<\/p><\/div>\n