How to Pick the Right Electrician Trade School near Wakonda South Dakota
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Wakonda SD. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are a number of factors to examine. For instance, many students will start by searching for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have located a few that are within commuting distance, they will decide on the one with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the only qualifications that should be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final judgment when selecting an electrician school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are three general approaches to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Wakonda SD. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are brief explanations of the 3 most common programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by South Dakota technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who would like to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are provided by South Dakota community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some South Dakota institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Wakonda SD can undertake a vast array of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically about four to five years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually test electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be obtained in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves three levels of proficiency:
- 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 important that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes
An alternative that you might have considered is choosing an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. 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 entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, internet learning can be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Travelling costs from Wakonda SD are also reduced and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. All of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Once you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Wakonda SD region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other variables that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess before selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain 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 Wakonda SD program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It could also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative 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 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 Wakonda SD graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Wakonda SD area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Wakonda SD electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Wakonda home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Wakonda SD, check that the schools you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.
Online Electrical Training Courses Wakonda South Dakota
Picking the right electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Online Electrical Training Courses and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Technical Schools. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every program offers different options for certification also. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some 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 right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Wakonda SD.
More Electric Locations in South Dakota
Wakonda, South Dakota
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.39 square miles (1.01 km2), all of it land.[2] Corn and soybeans are grown on the farms surrounding the town. The climate is humid continental, with hot summers and cold winters. Annual precipitation is about 25 inches.
As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 321 people, 128 households, and 72 families residing in the town. The population density was 823.1 inhabitants per square mile (317.8/km2). There were 163 housing units at an average density of 417.9 per square mile (161.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.4% White, 0.3% African American, and 1.2% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.
There were 128 households of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 1.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.8% were non-families. 40.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 3.03.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 2
6 Reviews 
1 Reviews 