How to Select the Right Electrician Technical School near Fort Morgan Colorado
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Fort Morgan CO. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are so many variables to examine. For instance, many students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have located a few that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the sole things that should be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your final decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are multiple approaches to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Fort Morgan CO. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Colorado technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are provided by Colorado junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Colorado colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Fort Morgan CO can undertake a wide range of services, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess 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 identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be earned in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails three levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Schools Online
A possibility that you may have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning can be a more convenient alternative for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Travelling expenses from Fort Morgan CO are also minimized and some of the study materials can be available online as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Fort Morgan CO region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we discussed 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 although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Fort Morgan CO school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate may signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It might also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high 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 utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Fort Morgan CO graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Fort Morgan CO area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Fort Morgan CO electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Fort Morgan home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Fort Morgan CO, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.
How Do I Become An Electrician Fort Morgan Colorado
Picking the ideal electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in How Do I Become An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Accredited Electrician Schools. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each training program provides different options for certification as well. Perhaps the best means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Fort Morgan CO.
More Electric Locations in Colorado
Fort Morgan, Colorado
Fort Morgan is the home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Morgan County, Colorado, United States.[7] The United States Census Bureau estimated that the city population was 10,844 in 2005.[8]
Camp Wardwell was established in 1865 along the Overland Trail to protect emigrants and supplies going to and from Denver and the mining districts. The fort was renamed in 1866 by General John Pope for one of his staff, Colonel Christopher A. Morgan,[9] who had died earlier that year. The fort closed in 1868 after being used by 19 different companies from 11 cavalry and infantry regiments (about 1,300 soldiers).
The town of Fort Morgan was platted just south of the old military fort’s ruins on May 1, 1884, by Abner S. Baker, a member of Greeley's Union Colony. The town became the county seat of the newly formed Morgan County on February 19, 1889.[10]
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