Vocational College
How to Enroll in the Right One Near Tempe Arizona
Choosing to work in a new profession and enroll in a trade school near Tempe AZ are important decisions that will profoundly affect your future career. But exactly how do you go about finding the right one with so many vocational schools to pick from? Of course you must select a school that is reputable and well regarded so you can be confident that you will receive the extensive training necessary to succeed in your new profession. To start, one of the important qualifications that most prospective students hone in on when starting their search is how far the trade schools are from their homes. Others might gravitate to the school that has the most affordable tuition. Of course the cost and location of the training are critical factors when evaluating vocational school options, but they can not be the sole ones. For instance, you need to ask if the vocational schools have earned accreditation, or if they provide job placement assistance. So before you begin evaluating and comparing trade schools, you will need to know what questions to ask in order to get the information to make a final choice. We will review several of those questions later in this article. But first, let's talk about some of the trade options that are available as well as the accessibility of online schools.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Choose a New Trade and Start Your Career Below
Vocational School Career Options
There are an abundance of trades to choose from in vocational schools that offer fulfilling and high paying careers. Possibly you have already chosen one that you have long wished to pursue. For example, maybe you have always had fun working on your car and have thought about utilizing that skill to make a living as a car mechanic. Or perhaps a relative has had a prosperous career in a particular vocation or trade and you would love to follow in her or his footsteps. Regardless of what your motivation is for going into a trade, there is undoubtedly a program available that will give you the training you require. Below is merely a modest representation of the trade school programs that are available in the Tempe AZ area.
- Auto Mechanic
- Heating and Cooling (HVAC) Tech
- Plumber
- Electrical Technician
- Welding
- Truck Driver
- Aircraft Maintenance Tech
- Lab Tech
- Construction Manager
Each of the programs will have differing completion times and costs depending on the vocation, credential earned and school. Some of the programs may be completed in a few weeks, while others will require several months or even 2 or more years of training. All of these elements need to be considered prior to selecting a vocation and school.
Trade Schools Online
Trade Schools online have become more attractive with Tempe AZ students and more and more accredited programs are being offered. Although learning online is a readily available and practical way to obtain a degree or certificate, it might not be the best option for all trades or vocations. For example, learning to drive a tractor trailer is not something that you can accomplish online, nor is training how to weld. These are skills that need to be mastered through hands on training and by doing it, not by studying or watching videos. But certain components of the training may be appropriate for online learning, such as learning safety and driving regulations for truck driving schools or learning about metallurgy or how to read blueprints for welder schools. A number of programs will blend online education with on campus lab work, for example for electrician or welding schools. So it is essential to find out before choosing an online program for any trade if there is a suitable amount of practical training devoted to the syllabus. One means to help ensure that a vocational school program is both appropriate for online learning and provides in-depth hands-on training is to confirm that it's accredited by a nationally acknowledged accrediting organization (more on accreditation later). For those vocations that are appropriate for training online, it can be a practical way for students with limited time to acquire a new vocation.
Things to Ask Vocational School Programs
When you have selected the vocation and type of certificate or degree that you want to earn, either online or on campus, you can begin to limit your list of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are a large number of vocational schools in the Tempe AZ area and all over the USA to select from. That's why it is imperative to have a checklist of relevant qualifications when making school assessments. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will probably be the first two variables you will take into consideration. Following are some additional ones that you will want to explore before enrolling in your school of choice.
Accreditation. Many Tempe AZ area technical programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school's programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance HVAC technology. Make sure that the school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you obtain an excellent education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states mandate that the training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing where applicable.
How Long in Operation? One clue to help measure the quality of a trade school near Tempe AZ is how long it has been in operation. A poorly reviewed or a fly by night school usually will not stay in business very long, so longevity is a big plus. On the other hand, even the best of schools had to begin from their first day of training, so use it as one of several qualifiers.
Completion Rates. Ask the tech schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It might also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It's similarly imperative that the schools have high 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 utilize 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 field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist students obtain apprenticeships or employment in the Tempe AZ area.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most trade programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Tempe AZ area contractors in the field. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the technician you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Tempe AZ contractor if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It's important that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is in Arizona and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Tempe AZ, check that the schools you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.
Find Out More About Trade Schools in Tempe
Enroll in the Right Tempe Vocational School
Choosing the ideal trade school near Tempe AZ is an important first step toward a fulfilling career in the vocation of your choice. As we have discussed in this article, you should select a trade school and a certificate or degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the trade. Other factors to search for are lots of hands-on training and state-of-the-art facilities. You should check out each of the schools in person that you are most interested in to inspect the campus and speak with both the current students and faculty. Attempt to get a feel for the quality of the instruction and the interaction between them. In addition, inquire about scheduling choices and whether or not night or weekend classes are available if needed. And remember to inquire about financial aid and student loan options too. If you ask the right questions as we have detailed in our guidelines for evaluating schools, you'll be able to filter your options so that you can make an educated decision. With the appropriate training, hard work and commitment, you can ultimately become a licensed professional in your chosen trade.