How to Pick the Best Electrician Trade School near Rantoul Kansas
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Rantoul KS. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to examine. For example, many students will start by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have located a few that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the sole qualifications that should be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your final judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are available.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs
There are several options to receive electrician training in a trade or technical school near Rantoul KS. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Bellow are short summaries of the three most typical programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Kansas trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are provided by Kansas junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Kansas colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines
Electricians in Rantoul KS can carry out a wide range of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly around four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be obtained in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails three levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs
A possibility that you might have considered is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more practical option for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Travelling expenses from Rantoul KS are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be available online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Rantoul KS area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are other variables that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Rantoul KS program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the course and quit. 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 use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Rantoul KS students secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Rantoul KS area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Rantoul KS electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Rantoul residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with some of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Rantoul KS, confirm that the programs you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.
Online Electrician Training Courses Rantoul Kansas
Selecting the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Online Electrician Training Courses and wanting more information on the topic Accredited Electrician Online Programs. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training program that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers unique options for certification also. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you choose is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Rantoul KS.
More Electric Locations in Kansas
Rantoul, Kansas
Rantoul is located at 38°32′55″N 95°6′6″W / 38.54861°N 95.10167°W / 38.54861; -95.10167 (38.548508, -95.101778).[9] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.15 square miles (0.39 km2), all of it land.[1]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 184 people, 74 households, and 50 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,226.7 inhabitants per square mile (473.6/km2). There were 82 housing units at an average density of 546.7 per square mile (211.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.7% White, 0.5% African American, and 2.7% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.7% of the population.
There were 74 households of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.4% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.02.
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