Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Piedmont SC region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are additional variables that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical trade school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>A large number of electrician technical programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Piedmont SC school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you acquire a quality education, it can assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.<\/p>\nHigh Completion and Placement Rates. <\/strong>Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It may also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and\/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Piedmont SC graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Many electrician vocational programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Piedmont SC area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Piedmont SC electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within driving distance of your Piedmont home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s desirable that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Piedmont SC, verify that the programs you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Piedmont SC?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Piedmont SC area.<\/p>\n
Piedmont, South Carolina<\/h3>
Native Americans and early settlers of Piedmont called the area \"Big Shoals of the Saluda\" after the Saluda River. The Native Americans used the shoals as a crossing. David Garrison established a grist mill around 1850 upon the shoals changing the name of the area to Garrison Shoals. Henry Pinckney Hammett bought this property for his cotton mill that used water power of the shoals. The name of the area changed again to Piedmont, \"Foot of the Mountains\" and became a mill town. The American Civil War disrupted Hammett's project until 1876 when his plant began operations. Piedmont was added to Hammett's charter for Piedmont Manufacturing Company and a railroad station. Water power from the Saluda River was also used to produce electricity to run the machinery from the 1880s to the 1920s. The machinery of the Piedmont Manufacturing Company was from Saco Lowell and Whitin Machine Works that helped finance Hammett's company.[4] In 1946 the mills were sold to J.P. Stevens and Company where it then was updated with modern features. Manufacturing continued until 1977 and in 1983 most of Piedmont Manufacturing Company burned down.[5]<\/p>
Piedmont is located in northern Anderson County and southwestern Greenville County at 34\u00b042\u203215\u2033N 82\u00b027\u203241\u2033W\ufeff \/ \ufeff34.70417\u00b0N 82.46139\u00b0W\ufeff \/ 34.70417; -82.46139 (34.704140, -82.461427).[6] It is 12 miles (19\u00a0km) south of the center of Greenville. Exit 35 on Interstate 85 is 2 miles (3\u00a0km) to the west of the center of Piedmont.\nSouth Carolina state road 86 cuts through the small town also, connecting with Interstate 85 at Exit 35.\nAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.8 square miles (22.7\u00a0km2), of which 8.6 square miles (22.3\u00a0km2) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4\u00a0km2), or 1.93%, is water.[3] The Saluda River flows southwards over a dam through the center of town.\n<\/p>
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 4,684 people, 1,829 households, and 1,349 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 545.6 people per square mile (210.8\/km\u00b2). There were 1,992 housing units at an average density of 232.0 per square mile (89.6\/km\u00b2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.08% White, 5.85% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 1.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.\n<\/p><\/div>\n