How to Become an Electrician in Altus Oklahoma
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Altus OK. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of variables to consider. For instance, many students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found a few that are within commuting distance, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the sole factors that need to be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Altus OK
There are several options to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Altus OK. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are short summaries of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Oklahoma vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take two years to finish and are offered by Oklahoma community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Oklahoma institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed before licensing. Because of that, many students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Altus OK can undertake a wide range of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about four to five years of practical experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be acquired in many specialties, including 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 organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you choose not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools in Altus OK
An option that you may have considered is choosing an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some 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 practical choice for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting costs from Altus OK are also lessened and some of the study materials may be accessed on line also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Altus OK area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Altus OK school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire a superior education, it can assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved 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 low completion rate might signify that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It may also mean that the teachers were not qualified 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 more extensive directory of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Altus OK grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician trade programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Altus OK area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date 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 with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Altus OK electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Altus home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in larger 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 students and teachers. Talk with several of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Altus OK, verify that the programs you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Altus OK?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Altus OK area.
Altus, Oklahoma
The town that would later be named Altus was founded in 1886.[6] The community was originally called Frazer, a settlement of about 50 people on Bitter Creek that served as a trading post on the Great Western Trail. Cowboys driving herds northward often stopped to buy buttermilk from John McClearan. Thus, the town was known locally as "Buttermilk Station." The Frazer post office opened February 18, 1886. A flash flood nearly destroyed Frazer on June 4, 1891. The residents moved to higher ground 2.5 miles (4.0 km) east of the original site. W. R. Baucum suggested renaming the town Altus, a Latin word meaning "high." This name stuck, although the town was also known as Leger from July 10, 1901, to May 14, 1904,[7]
The city has seen relatively steady growth since the beginning. The population doubled between the time of Oklahoma statehood and the 1910 census and even increased during the Great Depression.[8] Although Altus had been designated as the Jackson county seat at the time of statehood, an election was held in 1908 to determine the permanent seat. The two towns contending were Altus and Olustee. Altus won by a vote of 2,077 to 1,365. The county courthouse was built there in 1910.[7] An irrigation project in the 1940s and World War II led to further growth in the town as the nearby air field was used to train military pilots.[8]
Altus was an important city on the defunct Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway, one of the Frank Kell and Joseph A. Kemp properties, which stretched from Wichita Falls, Texas, to Forgan in Beaver County in far northwestern Oklahoma. It was later purchased by the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad and since 1991 is operated by the Wichita, Tillman and Jackson Railway.[9]
Enroll in the Ideal Electrical Technical School near Altus OK
Picking the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world perspective, 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 certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you pick is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Altus OK.
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