Topics to Ask Electrician Training Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nOnce you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Somerset KY area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess before selecting an electrical tech school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>Many electrician trade schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Somerset KY school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.<\/p>\nHigh Completion and Placement Rates. <\/strong>Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It may also mean that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and\/or more reputable schools may have a broader 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 can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Somerset KY graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Many electrician trade programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Somerset KY area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Confirm 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, check with the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Somerset KY electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Somerset home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s important that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Somerset KY, check that the schools you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Somerset KY?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Somerset KY area.<\/p>\n
Somerset, Kentucky<\/h3>
Somerset was first settled in 1798 by Thomas Hansford and received its name from Somerset County, New Jersey, where some of the early settlers had formerly lived. Somerset became the Pulaski County seat in 1802, and it was incorporated as a city in 1887. A significant Civil War battle was fought in January 1862, at Mill Springs (now \"Nancy\") about 8 miles (13\u00a0km) west of Somerset, and a museum is at the site. A smaller battle was fought nearby at Dutton's Hill in 1863. In 1875 tracks for the Southern Railroad were completed and Somerset saw a sudden population growth and an increase in industry.[2] In the late 1930s and early 1940s, library services were provided by the pack horse library.[3][4] The completion of Lake Cumberland in 1950 transformed Somerset from a sleepy rural community into one of the largest recreation centers in Kentucky, drawing more than 1.7 million visitors annually, especially between the Memorial and Labor Day holidays.<\/p>
Somerset is located at 37\u00b04\u203259\u2033N 84\u00b036\u203234\u2033W\ufeff \/ \ufeff37.08306\u00b0N 84.60944\u00b0W\ufeff \/ 37.08306; -84.60944 (37.082966, -84.609387),[5] and the downtown (central) part of the city is at an elevation of 974 feet above sea level. The city is located at the eastern end of Kentucky's Mississippian Plateau (or Pennyroyal Plateau); however, the micropolitan area extends eastward into the Appalachian Plateau (or Eastern Kentucky Coalfield), and northward to Kentucky's Outer Bluegrass region. Thus, the area shows significant variations in landforms and scenery.<\/p>
Nearby Lake Cumberland is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world (101 miles in length, with an average depth of 85 feet (26\u00a0m) and a normal pool containing more than 2 trillion gallons of water). Somerset is also near Cumberland Falls and the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area; its tourism industries are, in part, due to its scenic and varied landscape.[6]<\/p><\/div>\n