Technical School For Electrician Prattville AL

How to Select the Best Electrician Technical School near Prattville Alabama

Prattville AL electrician working on circuit boardThe first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Prattville AL. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are so many factors to consider. For instance, many students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have identified some that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant, they are not the only factors that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are available.

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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs

Prattville AL electrician on power line poleThere are multiple ways to get electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Prattville AL. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the three most typical programs offered.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Alabama trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are provided by Alabama community colleges, commonly 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 mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Alabama colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Requirements

Prattville AL electrician wiring boxElectricians in Prattville AL can carry out a vast array of services, such as testing, installing and replacing 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 most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be earned in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails three 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online

Prattville AL student attending electrician school onlineA possibility that you may have considered is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more accommodating choice for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving expenses from Prattville AL are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be available on line as well. All of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Questions to ask Prattville AL electrician schoolsWhen you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Prattville AL region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other variables that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical trade school.

Accreditation.  A large number of electrician technical programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Prattville AL program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire an excellent education, it may help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates.  Ask the electrician training programs you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It may also indicate that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, 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 confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Prattville AL students acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Most electrician trade programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Prattville AL area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician 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 currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Prattville AL electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Prattville home. Take note that if you decide to attend 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 important that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to several of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling.  Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Prattville AL, check that the schools you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.

Technical School For Electrician Prattville Alabama

Prattville AL electricians working on power linesChoosing the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Technical School For Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Courses College. But as we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical tech school that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Each training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you pick is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Prattville AL.

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    Prattville, Alabama

    Prattville is a city in Autauga and Elmore counties in the State of Alabama. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city is 33,960. Nicknamed "The Fountain City" due to the many artesian wells in the area, Prattville is part of the Montgomery metropolitan statistical area and serves as the county seat of Autauga County.

    Prattville was founded in 1839 by industrialist and architect Daniel Pratt. The area was largely inhabited by Native Americans and a few settlers when Pratt, a native of Temple, New Hampshire, first observed the Autauga Creek in the 1830s. He purchased approximately 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) from Joseph May at $21.00 an acre, and set out to build his manufacturing facilities and the town along the banks of Autauga Creek. The location was chosen because the creek could supply power to the cotton gin manufacturing equipment. The town became an industrial center and rapidly grew. In 1868, it was named the county seat for Autauga County.[4]

    On February 17, 2008, Prattville was hit by an F3 tornado which destroyed more than 45 homes and businesses and damaged over 700. Twenty-nine people were injured with no fatalities. Preliminary estimates put the damage at $85 million in insured and uninsured damages.[6]

     

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