Things to Ask Electrician Trade Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nWhen you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Rapid City MI region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other variables that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.<\/p>\n
Accreditation. <\/strong>Numerous 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 relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Rapid City MI program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain an excellent education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Also, a number of states mandate 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 percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It could also suggest that the teachers were not qualified 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 list of graduates, which may 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 an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Rapid City MI students secure apprenticeships or jobs.<\/p>\nApprenticeship Programs. <\/strong>Many electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Rapid City MI area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.<\/p>\nModern Facilities. <\/strong>Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained 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, talk to the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Rapid City MI electrical company if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Rapid City home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.<\/p>\nSmaller Classes. <\/strong>It’s desirable that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to some of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.<\/p>\nFlexible Scheduling. <\/strong>Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Rapid City MI, check that the schools you are looking at 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, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.<\/p>\nConsidering Attending an Electrician School near Rapid City MI?<\/h3>\n
Following is a little bit of background information about the Rapid City MI area.<\/p>\n
Clearwater Township, Michigan<\/h3>
The first permanent white settler in what is now Kalkaska County was William George Copeland, a farmer born in Nottinghamshire, who located there in the fall of 1855, while it was still attached to Grand Traverse County. For the next twelve years, he and his wife were the only permanent white residents of the county. A dam had been built on the Barker Creek about the time Copeland moved there, but a planned mill was never built. The next permanent resident in the township was William H. Bockes, a native of Medina County, Ohio and a Civil War veteran. In June 1866, he purchased land in the township near Barker Creek. After returning to Ohio to marry his wife in October, they both returned immediately to take up residence. Another early resident in the Barker Creek area was John H.F. Letherby, born in England and moved to Canada at the age of 16. He settled in section 32 near Barker Creek in October 1866.\n<\/p>
In section 36 in the southeast corner of the township, a few related families originally from Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, made their homes. D.P. Beebe, another Civil War veteran, was the first to arrive in the spring of 1867. Norman Ross, his father-in-law came in the summer of 1867 and became the first township supervisor when it was organized. A.C. Beebe, also a Civil War veteran, came in May 1868.\n<\/p>
Kalkaska County remained unorganized and attached to first Grand Traverse County and then Antrim County until an act of the Michigan Legislature of January 27, 1871. Rapid River Township was the first township organized in the county, while it was still attached to Antrim County for administrative purposes. The township was organized in 1868 so that residents in the area would be able to vote in the presidential election without having to travel all the way to Antrim County. At that time, Rapid River Township encompassed several townships that were later separately organized. Clearwater Township was originally organized as \"Round Lake\" by an act of the Michigan Legislature on January 18, 1871, and was renamed Clearwater Township in January 1873. A post office with the name of \"Clear Water\" had been established in May 1869 and renamed \"Clearwater\" in December 1873. There was also a post office at Barker Creek from February 1874 until May 1937. Barker Creek was a station on the Chicago and West Michigan Railway (now the Pere Marquette Railroad).\n<\/p><\/div>\n