Questions to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Desert Center CA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are additional factors that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical technical school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>Many electrician technical programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can 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 Desert Center CA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive an excellent education, it may help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.<\/p>\nHigh Completion and Placement Rates. <\/strong>Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate could signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It could also mean that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and\/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Desert Center CA graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Many electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Desert Center CA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies job 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 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 technician you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Desert Center CA electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Desert Center residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s important that you get 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 witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the instructors and learn 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 schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Desert Center CA, verify that the schools you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Desert Center CA?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Desert Center CA area.<\/p>\n
Desert Center, California<\/h3>
Desert Center is a census designated place in the Colorado Desert in Riverside County, California. It is in southern California, between the cities of Indio and Blythe at the junction of Interstate 10 and State Route 177 (Desert Center-Rice Road), about halfway between Phoenix and Los Angeles. The ZIP Code is 92239, and the community is in telephone area codes 442 and 760. The elevation is 656 feet (200\u00a0m). The population was 204 at the 2010 census.<\/p>
The town was founded in 1921 by Stephen A. Ragsdale, also known as \"Desert Steve\", and his wife, Lydia. Ragsdale was an itinerant preacher and cotton farmer, originally from Arkansas. In 1915, he left his farm in the Palo Verde Valley along the Colorado River to attend to some business in Los Angeles. The road between Phoenix and Los Angeles was mostly sand, and Ragsdale's vehicle broke down near a place called Gruendyke's Well. This featured a hand-dug well and was inhabited by a prospector named Bill Gruendyke. Gruendyke rescued Ragsdale and gave him food, shelter, and water until his vehicle was repaired and he could resume his journey to Los Angeles.<\/p>
Upon his return, Ragsdale bought out Gruendyke and moved his family to the remote spot, where they constructed a small shack with a lean-to that served as a repair garage. A Model T truck was modified to serve as a tow car. Gasoline was pumped by hand from a 55-gallon drum. Lydia served food and refreshments to thirsty and weary travelers. In spite of the remote location\u201450 miles (80\u00a0km) in any direction from anything\u2014the Ragsdales prospered. Ragsdale named his outpost \"Desert Center\". In 1921, it was announced that the sand road running through Desert Center would be relocated about 5 miles (8.0\u00a0km) north, straightened, paved, and named U.S. Route 60, a modern \"high-speed\" highway. Ragsdale abandoned \"old Desert Center\" and built a poured-concrete caf\u00e9 in the adobe style with an attached gasoline station and a huge service garage. Across the road, a series of wooden structures were built, including a market (which at one time was the largest Coleman camping equipment dealer in the country), and a post office. He also built several cabins for travelers, and a large \"plunge\" (swimming pool) next to the caf\u00e9 where travelers could escape the desert heat.<\/p><\/div>\n