How to Select the Best Electrician Vocational School near Bartlesville Oklahoma
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Bartlesville OK. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of points to examine. For example, many potential students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have located some that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that must be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are several options to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Bartlesville OK. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are short explanations of the three most typical programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Oklahoma trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who would like to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take two years to complete and are provided by Oklahoma community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Oklahoma colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed before licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Bartlesville OK can perform a multitude of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be acquired in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you select not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Training Classes Online
An option that you may have considered is choosing an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling costs from Bartlesville OK are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Bartlesville OK region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other variables that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Bartlesville OK program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It could also suggest that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Bartlesville OK students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Bartlesville OK area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools 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 specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Bartlesville OK electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Bartlesville home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with some of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the teachers and find out 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 reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Bartlesville OK, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Home Electrical Courses Bartlesville Oklahoma
Choosing the best electrician trade school 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 Home Electrical Courses and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Training Certificate. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician training that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Bartlesville OK.
More Electric Locations in Oklahoma
Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Bartlesville is a city mostly in Washington County in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 35,750 at the 2010 census, with a 2015 estimate of 36,595 according to the U.S. Census Bureau.[3] Bartlesville is 47 miles (76 km) north of Tulsa and 18 miles (29 km) south of the Kansas border. It is the county seat of Washington County.[4] The Caney River runs through Bartlesville.
Bartlesville is the primary city of the Bartlesville Micropolitan area, which consists of Washington County and had a population of 52,021 in 2015. A small portion of the city is in Osage County. The city is also part of the Tulsa Combined Statistical Area, with a population of 1,151,172 in 2015.
Bartlesville is notable as the longtime home of Phillips Petroleum Company. Frank Phillips founded Phillips Petroleum in Bartlesville in 1905 when the area was still an Indian Territory. The company merged with Conoco as ConocoPhillips and later split into the two independent companies, Phillips 66 and ConocoPhillips. Both companies have retained some operations in Bartlesville, but they have moved their corporate headquarters to Houston.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 5
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 