What to Ask Electrician Tech Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nOnce you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Midland MI area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical tech school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>Many electrician technical schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Midland MI program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get a superior education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, many 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 training programs you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It could also signify that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and\/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which can mean 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 an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Midland MI grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Most electrician vocational programs are taught along 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 electrician companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Midland MI area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Midland MI electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Midland residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in 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 receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with some of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Midland MI, check that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Midland MI?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Midland MI area.<\/p>\n
Midland, Michigan<\/h3>
Midland is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan in the Tri-Cities region of Central Michigan. It is the county seat of Midland County.[7] The city's population was 41,863 as of the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Midland Micropolitan Statistical Area, part of the larger Saginaw-Midland-Bay City Combined Statistical Area. In 2010, Midland was named the no. 4 Best Small City to raise a family in by Forbes magazine.[8]<\/p>
By the late 1820s, Midland was established as a fur trading post of the American Fur Company supervised by the post at Saginaw. Here agents purchased furs from Ojibwe trappers. The Campau family of Detroit operated an independent trading post at this location in the late 1820s.[9]<\/p>
The Dow Chemical Company was founded in Midland in 1897, and its world headquarters are still located there. Through the influence of a Dow Chemical plant opening in Handa, Aichi, Japan, Midland and Handa have become sister cities.[10] The Dow Corning Corporation and Chemical Bank are also headquartered in Midland.\n<\/p><\/div>\n