What to Ask Electrician Tech Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nWhen you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Occidental CA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical technical school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>Many electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Occidental CA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you acquire a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved 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 or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also mean that the teachers were not qualified 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 broader 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 trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Occidental CA graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Occidental CA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed 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 specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Occidental CA electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Occidental residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some 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 meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Occidental CA, verify that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Occidental CA?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Occidental CA area.<\/p>\n
Occidental, California<\/h3>
Founded in 1876, Occidental was a stop on the North Pacific Coast Railroad connecting Cazadero to the Sausalito ferry. In return for donating right-of-way to the railroad, a local landowner named \"Dutch Bill\" Howards received a lifetime railway pass, and the station was named after him.[3]<\/p>
Average January temperatures range from 41.8\u00a0\u00b0F (5.4\u00a0\u00b0C) to 54.5\u00a0\u00b0F (12.5\u00a0\u00b0C) and average July temperatures range from 51.4\u00a0\u00b0F (10.8\u00a0\u00b0C) to 77.9\u00a0\u00b0F (25.5\u00a0\u00b0C). The record highest temperature was 103\u00a0\u00b0F (39.4\u00a0\u00b0C) on July 22, 2006, and the record lowest temperature was 28\u00a0\u00b0F (\u22122.2\u00a0\u00b0C) on March 11, 2006. There are an average of 12.8 afternoons with highs of 90\u00a0\u00b0F or 32.2\u00a0\u00b0C or higher and an average of 2.1 mornings with lows of 32\u00a0\u00b0F or 0\u00a0\u00b0C or lower.<\/p>
Average annual rainfall is 55.19 inches (1,401.8\u00a0mm). The wettest \u201crain year\u201d was from July 1997 to June 1998 with 102.89 inches (2,613.4\u00a0mm) and the driest from July 2000 to June 2001 with 29.84 inches (757.9\u00a0mm).[5] The most rainfall in one month was 36.62 inches (930.1\u00a0mm) in January 1995. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 8.51 inches (216.2\u00a0mm) on January 5, 1966. Average annual snowfall is only 0.2 inches or 0.0051 metres. The maximum snowfall was 11.0 inches (0.28\u00a0m) in January 1974.[6]<\/p><\/div>\n