It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Choose a New Trade and Start Your Career Below
Points to Ask Trade Schools
After you have selected the vocation and type of certificate or degree that you would like to acquire, either online or on campus, you can start to narrow down your selection of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous technical schools in the Juneau AK area and across the United States to choose from. That's why it is extremely important to have a list of relevant qualifications when making school assessments. As formerly stated in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will probably be the first two aspects you will take into consideration. Following are several additional ones that you need to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.
Accreditation. Numerous Juneau AK area technical schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school's programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance HVAC technology. Verify that the program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get a superior education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states require that the training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing where applicable.
How Long in Operation? One clue to help measure the quality of a trade school near Juneau AK is how long it has been in business. A poorly rated or a fly by night school typically will not stay in business very long, so longevity is a big plus. On the other hand, even the top schools had to start from their first day of training, so use it as one of several qualifiers.
Completion Rates. Ask the vocational schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It may also mean that the teachers were not competent 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 broader directory of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist grads secure apprenticeships or jobs in the Juneau AK area.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Juneau AK area specialists in the field. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Juneau AK company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It's important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with several of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is in Alaska and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm 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 Juneau AK, confirm that the schools you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.