Electrician Degrees Online Lafayette AL

How to Select the Right Electrician Training School near Lafayette Alabama

Lafayette AL electrician working on circuit boardThe first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Lafayette AL. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are a number of points to evaluate. For instance, many prospective students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have identified several that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that must be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your final judgment when picking an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are available.

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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options

Lafayette AL electrician on power line poleThere are multiple options to get electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Lafayette AL. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are short explanations of the three most typical programs offered.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Alabama vocational and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards those who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are provided by Alabama community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Alabama colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed before licensing. For that reason, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Criteria

Lafayette AL electrician wiring boxElectricians in Lafayette AL can undertake a vast array of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be earned in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails three levels of competency:

  • An experience requirement
  • Passing a written exam
  • Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online

Lafayette AL student attending electrician school onlineAn option that you might have considered is selecting an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, distance learning may be a more accommodating alternative for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Travelling costs from Lafayette AL are also reduced and some of the study materials can be accessed on line also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Questions to ask Lafayette AL electrician schoolsWhen you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Lafayette AL area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation.  A large number of electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Lafayette AL school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get a superior education, it can assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates.  Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It could also mean that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can produce 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 a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Lafayette AL grads secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  A large number of electrician vocational 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 within their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Lafayette AL area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Make certain that the campus 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, talk to the electrical specialist you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Lafayette AL electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Lafayette residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling.  Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Lafayette AL, verify that the programs you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Electrician Degrees Online Lafayette Alabama

Lafayette AL electricians working on power linesChoosing the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Degrees Online and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Training Programs. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Lafayette AL.

More Electric Locations in Alabama

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    LaFayette, Alabama

    LaFayette (/ləˈfeɪ.ɛt, -ˈfaɪ-/ lə-F(A)Y-et, /ˈlʌfeɪ.ɛt/ LUF-ay-et) is the county seat of Chambers County, Alabama, United States, 47 miles (76 km) northwest of Columbus, Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 3,003.[5]

    Chambers County was formed in 1832. The newly elected county officials opted to locate the county seat as near as possible to the center of the county. Lots for the new town were auctioned in October 1833, with proceeds from the sale financing the construction of a courthouse and jail. The town was first called "Chambersville", but by the time of incorporation on January 7, 1835, the town name had been changed to "Lafayette", named after the Marquis de Lafayette; its spelling was changed to "LaFayette" due to the influence of newspaper editor Johnson J. Hooper, who created a fictional character called Captain Simon Suggs, a backwoods southerner who pronounced the town's name as "La Fait".[1][6] The city's newspaper, The LaFayette Sun, was founded under the name The Alabama Standard in April 1841 and adopted its current name on August 3, 1881.[7]

    LaFayette is the birthplace of heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis. An 8-foot (2.4 m) bronze statue, executed by sculptor Casey Downing Jr. of Mobile, Alabama, was erected in Louis' honor in front of the Chambers County courthouse.[9] It is also the hometown of Hoyt L. Sherman, one of artist Roy Lichtenstein's principal art professor/mentors at Ohio State University.

     

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