How to Select the Best Trade School near Howard City Michigan

Choosing to enter into a new occupation and enroll in a vocational school near Howard City MI are important decisions that will greatly impact your future career. But with so many trade schools to choose from, exactly how do you undertake finding the best one? Not only do you need to make sure that you will obtain the comprehensive training necessary to succeed in your new occupation, but also that the school is reputable and well regarded. Many students make the mistake of selecting a vocational school just because the campus is closest to their residence or where the work. Others may gravitate to the school that charges the most affordable tuition. Of course the cost and location of the training are critical considerations when analyzing trade school options, but they must not be the only ones. Other variables such as accreditation and the reputation of the schools are critical also. So prior to beginning your evaluations and comparing trade schools, you will need to know what questions you should be asking so you can get the information to make a final selection. We will address several of those questions shortly in this article. But to start with, let’s look at some of the vocation options that are offered including the accessibility of online schools.

Vocational School Career Options near Howard City MI

There are an abundance of professions to pick from in vocational schools that offer gratifying and high paying careers. Perhaps you have already chosen one that you have long wished to pursue. For example, perhaps you have always taken pleasure in working on your car and have thought about utilizing that talent to make a living as an auto mechanic. Or perhaps a family member has had a long and successful career in a specific trade or vocation and you would like to follow in his or her footsteps. Regardless of what your motivation is for going into a trade, there is undoubtedly a program offered that will give you the training that you need. Following is just a small representation of the trade school programs that are available in the Howard City MI area.

• Auto Mechanic
• Heating and Cooling (HVAC) Tech
• Plumber
• Electrical Technician
• Welder
• Truck Driver
• Aircraft Maintenance Tech
• Lab Technician
• Construction Manager

All programs will have differing completion times and costs depending on the vocation, type of credential and school. Many of the programs may be completed in just weeks, while others will require months or even two or more years of instruction. Each of these aspects should be considered before choosing a trade and a school.

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Vocational Schools Online

Online schools have become very popular with Howard City MI students and increasingly more accredited programs are being offered. While learning online is a readily available and practical way to acquire a degree or certificate, it might not be the best option for all trades or vocations. For example, learning to operate a tractor trailer is not something that you can accomplish online, nor is training how to weld. These are skills that need to be learned through hands on training and by doing it, not by studying or watching videos. But certain components of the training can be appropriate for online learning, for instance learning safety and driving regulations for truck driving schools or studying metallurgy or how to read blueprints for welder schools. A number of programs will combine online education with on campus practical training, for example for HVAC or plumbing schools. So it is very important to find out before choosing an online program for any trade if there is an adequate amount of practical training devoted to the course of study. One way to help ensure that a trade school program is both appropriate for online studying and provides comprehensive practical training is to confirm that it’s accredited by a nationally acknowledged accrediting agency (more on accreditation later). For those trades that are appropriate for training online, it can be a practical way for those with limited time to learn a new profession.

What to Ask Trade School Programs

Once you have decided on the trade and type of certificate or degree that you desire to acquire, either online or on campus, you can begin to decrease your list of schools. As you are no doubt aware, there are numerous vocational schools in the  Howard City MI area and throughout the United States to choose from. That’s why it is essential to have a list of key qualifications when making school evaluations. As earlier stated in our opening paragraph, location and tuition will most likely be the first 2 factors you will consider. Following are some additional ones that you will want to investigate before enrolling in your school of choice.

Accreditation.  Many Howard City MI area trade schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as HVAC technology. Verify that the program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you get an excellent education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states mandate 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 Howard City MI is how long it has been in business. A poorly ranked or a fly by night school normally will not be in business very long, so longevity is a big plus. Having said that, even the best of schools had to start from their first day of training, so consider it as one of several qualifications.

 Completion Rates.  Ask the vocational schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate may indicate that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It may also mean that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs in the Howard City MI area.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Numerous technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Howard City MI area contractors in the field. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional professional community.

Modern Facilities.  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 on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Howard City MI contractor if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, 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 relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s desirable that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is in Michigan and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Howard City MI, check that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.

College Tech Schools Howard City Michigan

Enrolling in the ideal trade school near Howard City MI is a critical beginning toward a gratifying career in the vocation of your choice. As we have discussed in this article, you should pick a school and a degree or certificate program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. Other features to search for are ample practical training and modern facilities. You need to visit each of the schools personally that you are most interested in to tour the campus and speak with both the current students and faculty. Try to get a feel for the quality of the training and the interaction between them. In addition, ask about scheduling options and whether or not night or weekend classes are offered if needed. And don’t forget to inquire about financial assistance and student loan options as well. You initially came to this website because of your interest in College Tech Schools and wanting more information on the topic Tech Colleges Near Me. However, if you ask the proper questions as we have outlined in our guidelines for comparing schools, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices so that you can make an informed decision. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, you can eventually become a licensed professional in your chosen trade.

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Howard City, Michigan

Benjamin Ensley owned the land on which he, E. W. Muenscher, and Mr. Shaw began the settlement that Muenscher platted in 1868. It was named for William A. Howard, a Detroit railroad attorney. The Detroit, Grand Rapids and Western Railroad depot opened in 1869. A post office was established on January 12, 1870, with John B. Spencer as the first postmaster. It incorporated as a village in 1873. The post office name was shortened to "Howard" on February 2, 1895, but restored to Howard City on January 19, 1899.[6]

Main street was initially constructed on Ensley Street, which was named after early settler Benjamin Ensley. In 1883, however, many of the wooden buildings on Ensley street burned down. Main Street was then shifted over to Edgerton Street, where it still stands today. The Hudson Knife factory and The Skinner and Steenman sideboard factory were two of the earliest businesses. Later, Hudson Knife Co. went through changes and became the Joslin and eventually Olsen Knife Company, which had the somewhat famous jingle, "Fatty Fatty run for your life, here comes Skinny with an Olsen Knife." Howard City schools were combined with Sand Lake schools to the south in 1962, and renamed Tri County, because students from Kent, Montcalm, and Newaygo counties all attended. The school still runs under the same moniker today.

Tri County Area Schools is the main school district in Howard City. Schools include Tri County High School, Tri County Middle School, MacNaughten Elementary, Sand Lake Elementary and Edgerton Upper Elementary. The School mascot is the Viking. Sports include football, basketball, softball, baseball, wrestling, sideline cheer, competitive cheer, golf, track and field, cross country, bowling, poms and soccer. In 2009, the varsity softball team took a District title, but fell short at regionals to Petosky. Neighboring schools include Newaygo, Grant, Morley-Stanwood, Lakeview and Cedar Springs.

 

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