Questions to Ask Electrician Technical Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nWhen you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Since there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Stratford IA region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional factors that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>Many electrician technical schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Stratford IA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you acquire a quality education, it can assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.<\/p>\nHigh Completion and Placement Rates. <\/strong>Ask the electrician schools 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 suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It may also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also 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 result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Stratford IA graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Most electrician vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Stratford IA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form 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 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 concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Stratford IA electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Stratford residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Stratford IA, check that the programs you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Stratford IA?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Stratford IA area.<\/p>\n
Stratford, Iowa<\/h3>
Stratford was platted in 1880.[4] It was named after Stratford-upon-Avon, in England.[4] A post office has been in operation in Stratford since 1881.[5] Stratford was actually first founded at Hook's Point, Hamilton County, Iowa. Stratford had a train coming through from 1880 until World War Two. Stratford has an independent school system with an elementary school located on the corner of Shakespeare Avenue and Dryden Street.<\/p>
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 743 people, 307 households, and 183 families residing in the city. The population density was 389.0 inhabitants per square mile (150.2\/km2). There were 334 housing units at an average density of 174.9 per square mile (67.5\/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 99.2% White and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.<\/p>
There were 307 households of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.4% were non-families. 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.96.<\/p><\/div>\n