How to Select the Right Electrician Technical School near Portis Kansas
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Portis KS. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of variables to evaluate. For example, some prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have found a few that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole factors that need to be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are accessible.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are several ways to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Portis KS. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Kansas technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards students who would like to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are offered by Kansas junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Kansas colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be carried out prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Portis KS can undertake a multitude of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally about four to five years of experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be acquired in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails three levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you select not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online
An alternative that you might have contemplated is selecting an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning may be a more convenient option for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Travelling costs from Portis KS are also reduced and some of the study materials can be accessed on line as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Once you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Portis KS area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Portis KS school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get a superior education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. 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 course. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It could also mean that the teachers were not qualified to instruct 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 graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Portis KS graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Portis KS area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Portis KS electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Portis residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be increased 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 larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Portis KS, verify that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
Online Industrial Electrical Training Portis Kansas
Picking the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Online Industrial Electrical Training and wanting more information on the topic Becoming An Electrician. But as we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Portis KS.
More Electric Locations in Kansas
Portis, Kansas
In 1879, the town was platted with the name of Bethany. The Central Branch Railroad routed through the city and built a station. Later, the railroad was sold to the Missouri Pacific Railroad, it became the second "Bethany" on their railroad system. To prevent conflicts with Bethany, Missouri, it was decided to change the name of this station. The name was changed to Portis, in honor of the Vice-President of the Missouri Pacific, Thomas Jefferson Portis (born in 1827).[9]
Portis is located at 39°33′46″N 98°41′29″W / 39.56278°N 98.69139°W / 39.56278; -98.69139 (39.562813, -98.691408).[10] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.25 square miles (0.65 km2), all of it land.[1]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 103 people, 50 households, and 29 families residing in the city. The population density was 412.0 inhabitants per square mile (159.1/km2). There were 78 housing units at an average density of 312.0 per square mile (120.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 99.0% White and 1.0% from two or more races.
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