How to Select the Best Electrician Trade School near Oilton Oklahoma
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Oilton OK. 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 because there are a number of points to consider. For example, some prospective students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located a few that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though cost and location are important, they are not the sole things that must be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are offered.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs
There are several approaches to get electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Oilton OK. You may select 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 other three options. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are short explanations of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Oklahoma technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to finish and are provided by Oklahoma community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Oklahoma colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Oilton OK can carry out a vast array of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around four to five years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be earned in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails 3 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you choose not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools
An alternative that you might have looked at is selecting an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, internet learning might be a more accommodating option for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving costs from Oilton OK are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be available on line as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Now that you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Oilton OK area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. 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 important when making your determination, there are other factors that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Oilton OK program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a superior education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It might also mean that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize 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 help Oilton OK students secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Oilton OK area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school 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 currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Oilton OK electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Oilton home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one training 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 instructors and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with 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 schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Oilton OK, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Electrician Schools Oilton Oklahoma
Picking the best electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Schools and wanting more information on the topic Industrial Electrician School. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training program that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you choose is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Oilton OK.
More Electric Locations in Oklahoma
Oilton, Oklahoma
Oilton began during the development of the Cushing-Drumright Oil Field. The first lots were sold in January and February 1915 by Walter Eaton and Ed Dunn. A post office was established May 5, 1915. The First State Bank opened and the newspaper, the Oilton Gusher, began publication in 1915. In the same year, Oil Belt Terminal Railway and the Oil Fields and Santa Fe Railway (both later acquired by Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway) connected Oilton to Jennings and Cushing. By 1920, Oilton had a population of 2,231. It became an incorporated city on April 18, 1921.[4]
Oilton is located in northwestern Creek County at 36°5′N 96°35′W / 36.083°N 96.583°W / 36.083; -96.583 (36.0850, -96.5866).[5] It is on the south side of the Cimarron River near the head of the inundation limit of Keystone Lake.
Oklahoma State Highway 99 passes through the community, leading north 7 miles (11 km) to Jennings and south 7 miles (11 km) to Drumright. Tulsa is 38 miles (61 km) to the east, and Stillwater is 30 miles (48 km) to the west.
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