How to Become an Electrician in Dodge City Kansas
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Dodge City KS. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are so many factors to consider. For instance, many students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have located some that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole things that should be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Dodge City KS
There are three general ways to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Dodge City KS. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are short summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Kansas trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards students who would like to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are provided by Kansas community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Kansas institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Dodge City KS can perform a multitude of duties, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be obtained 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 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 select not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Dodge City KS
A possibility that you may have considered is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning can be a more convenient choice for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Commuting costs from Dodge City KS are also minimized and some of the study materials can be accessed online also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
When you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Dodge City KS area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research before selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Dodge City KS school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It may also mean that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader 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 validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Dodge City KS graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Dodge City KS area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Dodge City KS electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Dodge City home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Dodge City KS, check that the programs you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Dodge City KS?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Dodge City KS area.
Dodge City, Kansas
Dodge City is the county seat of Ford County, Kansas, United States, named after nearby Fort Dodge. The city is famous in American culture for its history as a wild frontier town of the Old West.[6][7][8] As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,340.[9]
Fort Mann was the first settlement of nonindigenous people in the area that became Dodge City, built by civilians in 1847 to provide protection for travelers on the Santa Fe Trail. Fort Mann collapsed in 1848 after an Indian attack. In 1850, the U.S. Army arrived to provide protection in the region and constructed Fort Atkinson on the old Fort Mann site. The army abandoned Fort Atkinson in 1853. Military forces on the Santa Fe Trail were re-established farther north and east at Fort Larned in 1859, but the area remained vacant around what would become Dodge City until the end of the Civil War. In April 1865, the Indian Wars in the West began heating up, and the army constructed Fort Dodge to assist Fort Larned in providing protection on the Santa Fe Trail. Fort Dodge remained in operation until 1882.
The town of Dodge City can trace its origins to 1871, when rancher Henry J. Sitler built a sod house west of Fort Dodge to oversee his cattle operations in the region, conveniently located near the Santa Fe Trail and Arkansas River, and Sitler's house quickly became a stopping point for travelers. Others saw the commercial potential of the region with the Santa Fe Railroad rapidly approaching from the east. In 1872, Dodge City was staked out on the 100th meridian and the legal western boundary of the Fort Dodge reservation. The town site was platted and George M. Hoover established the first bar in a tent to serve thirsty soldiers from Fort Dodge. The railroad arrived in September to find a town ready and waiting for business. The early settlers in Dodge City traded in buffalo bones and hides and provided a civilian community for Fort Dodge. However, with the arrival of the railroad, Dodge City soon became involved in the cattle trade.
Enroll in the Ideal Electrician Tech School near Dodge City KS
Selecting the right electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each training program offers different options for certification also. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Dodge City KS.
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