Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Pine Ridge SD area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional factors that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>A large number of electrician technical programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Pine Ridge SD program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain an excellent education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.<\/p>\nHigh Completion and Placement Rates. <\/strong>Ask the electrician training programs you are looking at 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 could signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It might 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 broader list of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Pine Ridge SD students obtain apprenticeships or employment.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Most electrician vocational programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Pine Ridge SD area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Make certain that the campus 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 already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Pine Ridge SD electrical company if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Pine Ridge residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s desirable that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Pine Ridge SD, confirm that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Pine Ridge SD?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Pine Ridge SD area.<\/p>\n
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation<\/h3>
The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (Lakota: Waz\u00ed Ah\u00e1\u014bha\u014b Oy\u00e1\u014bke), also called Pine Ridge Agency, is an Oglala Lakota Native American reservation located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Originally included within the territory of the Great Sioux Reservation, Pine Ridge was established in 1889 in the southwest corner of South Dakota on the Nebraska border. Today it consists of 3,468.85\u00a0sq\u00a0mi (8,984.3\u00a0km2) of land area and is the eighth-largest reservation in the United States, larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined.\n<\/p>
The reservation encompasses the entirety of Oglala Lakota County, the southern half of Jackson County and the northwest portion of Bennett County. Of the 3,142 counties in the United States, these are among the poorest. Only 84,000 acres (340\u00a0km2) of land are suitable for agriculture. Extensive off-reservation trust lands are held mostly scattered throughout Bennett County (all of Bennett County was part of Pine Ridge until May 1910),[3][4] and also extend into adjacent Pine Ridge (Whiteclay), Nebraska in Sheridan County, just south of the community of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, the administrative center and largest community within the reservation. The 2000 census population of the reservation was 15,521; but a study conducted by Colorado State University and accepted by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development has estimated the resident population to reach 28,787.[5]<\/p>
Pine Ridge is the site of several events that mark milestones in the history between the Sioux of the area and the United States (U.S.) government. Stronghold Table\u2014a mesa in what is today the Oglala-administered portion of Badlands National Park\u2014was the location of the last of the Ghost Dances. The U.S. authorities' attempt to repress this movement eventually led to the Wounded Knee Massacre on December 29, 1890. A mixed band of Miniconjou Lakota and Hunkpapa Sioux, led by Chief Spotted Elk, sought sanctuary at Pine Ridge after fleeing the Standing Rock Agency, where Sitting Bull had been killed during efforts to arrest him. The families were intercepted by a heavily armed detachment of the Seventh Cavalry, which attacked them, killing many women and children as well as warriors. This was the last large engagement between U.S. forces and Native Americans and marked the end of the western frontier.\n<\/p><\/div>\n