Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nOnce you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Big Lake TX area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial 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 while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional factors that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical trade school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>A large number of electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Big Lake TX school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you get a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.<\/p>\nHigh Completion and Placement Rates. <\/strong>Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might signify that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It might also signify that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and\/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Big Lake TX students secure apprenticeships or jobs.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Numerous electrician training programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Big Lake TX area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Big Lake TX electrical company if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Big Lake home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with several of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Big Lake TX, verify that the programs you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Big Lake TX?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Big Lake TX area.<\/p>\n
Big Lake, Texas<\/h3>
The city takes its name from a dry lake, a unique dryland plains geographic feature situated atop the divide between the Rio Grande and Colorado River watersheds, located less than two miles south of the city, through which St Hwy 137 passes. The dry lake, with no outlet, is over two sections in size, making it the largest in Texas; it holds water temporarily and only after high runoff rain events, being used for grazing the remainder of the time. Though seasonal and temporal, the 'big playa lake', in wet periods, is significant in a semi-arid, drought-frequented environment and has been utilized regularly as a food and water resource by man and animal, alike, since prehistoric times.<\/p>
Started as a small ranching community in the late 1880s, Big Lake owes its original existence to the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway, which passed through the area in 1912 as it was extended from Sherwood, west of San Angelo, to Girvin and beyond the Pecos River. The growth from the railroad, coupled with that from the Santa Rita discovery well in 1923, allowed it, in 1925, to take over the position of county seat from Stiles, a pioneer ranching community established in 1894 on Centrailia Draw, approximately 20 miles to the north. The main highway through the area, US 67, was extended through the region in 1934, on the way to a termination in Presidio. The city's current existence is based on agriculture (some farming, but mostly ranching) and oil and gas service and production throughout the area.<\/p>
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1\u00a0km2), all of it land. Big Lake was served by the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway, and continues to be served by successor Texas Pacifico Transportation.<\/p><\/div>\n