How to Enroll in the Right Electrician Vocational School near Lowndesboro Alabama
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Lowndesboro AL. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are a number of points to examine. For example, some potential students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have found some that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the only things that should be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are three general ways to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Lowndesboro AL. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you want to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Alabama trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are offered by Alabama community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Alabama institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Lowndesboro AL can undertake a multitude of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually about four to five years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be obtained in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves 3 levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes
A possibility that you might have looked at is selecting an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more convenient option for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Commuting costs from Lowndesboro AL are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online also. All of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Lowndesboro AL region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are other factors that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Lowndesboro AL school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs 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 could suggest that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It might also signify that the teachers were not competent 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 list of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Lowndesboro AL grads secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training 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 electrical companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Lowndesboro AL area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Lowndesboro AL electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Lowndesboro residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive 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 observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with several of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Lowndesboro AL, check that the programs you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Electrician Courses Lowndesboro Alabama
Picking the right electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Courses and wanting more information on the topic Become Licensed Electrician. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrical training that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Lowndesboro AL.
More Electric Locations in Alabama
Lowndesboro, Alabama
Lowndesboro is a town in Lowndes County, Alabama, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 115, down from 140 in 2000. It is part of the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area. Although initially incorporated in 1856 by an act of the state legislature,[3] it lapsed and was not reincorporated until 1962.[4]
As of the 2000[5] and 2010[6] U.S. Censuses, Lowndesboro, along with Benton, are the only two towns (out of 7) in Lowndes County with a white majority of residents. Both are the 6th (Lowndesboro) and 7th (Benton) smallest communities.
Originally known as McGill's Hill, the community began attracting settlers following the conclusion of the Creek War. In 1832, the residents changed the name to Lowndesboro in honor of U.S. Congressman William Lowndes, the son of Rawlins Lowndes, an early South Carolina governor.[7]
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