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What to Ask Trade Schools
When you have chosen the vocation and type of certificate or degree that you want to acquire, either online or on campus, you can start to decrease your list of schools. As you are probably aware, there are many trade schools in the San Pedro CA area and across the United States to select from. That's why it is imperative to have a checklist of relevant qualifications when making school evaluations. As previously mentioned in our opening paragraph, tuition and location will most likely be the initial 2 factors you will look at. Following are several additional ones that you will want to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.
Accreditation. A large number of San Pedro CA area vocational schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school's programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance HVAC technology. Make sure that the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Also, many states mandate that the training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing where applicable.
How Long in Operation? One clue to help assess the quality of a trade school near San Pedro CA is how long it has been in operation. A poorly reviewed or a fly by night school typically will not be in business very long, so longevity is a big plus. However, even the best of schools had to start from their opening day of training, so use it as one of several qualifications.
Completion Rates. Ask the vocational schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate may indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It might also mean that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It's also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize 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 trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs in the San Pedro CA area.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most technical programs are taught along 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 businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with San Pedro CA area professionals in the field. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed 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, check with the tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local San Pedro CA contracting company if they can provide some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you can 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 increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It's important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging 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 teachers and students. Speak to some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is in California and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near San Pedro CA, check that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.