How to Pick the Best Electrician Tech School near Blackey Kentucky
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Blackey KY. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to evaluate. For example, many potential students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. Once they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole things that need to be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are offered.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are multiple approaches to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Blackey KY. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are short explanations of the 3 most common programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Kentucky vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards students who want to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve 2 years to finish and are provided by Kentucky community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Kentucky institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Therefore, most students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements
Electricians in Blackey KY 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 completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be earned in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 3 levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
An alternative that you may have considered is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning can be a more convenient choice for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Travelling costs from Blackey KY are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed on line also. All of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Once you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Blackey KY region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested 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 selection, there are additional variables that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Blackey KY program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Also, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It might also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize 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 Blackey KY students secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Blackey KY area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm 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 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 Blackey KY electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Blackey residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Blackey KY, verify that the schools you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Industrial Electrician School Blackey Kentucky
Picking the best electrical 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 Industrial Electrician School and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Technology Schools. But as we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve 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 visit each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Blackey KY.
More Electric Locations in Kentucky
Blackey, Kentucky
Blackey is a home rule-class city in Letcher County, Kentucky, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 153. It is located near the early settlement of Indian Bottom. Blackey is thought to have been named after Blackey Brown, one of its citizens.[2]
The history of Blackey began in 1908, after local resident, Jim Brown, was given permission to establish a post office on Elk Creek. He decided to name the post office "Blackey", after his brother Joseph "Blackey" Brown. Due to the areas massive coal deposits, the Lexington and Eastern Railroad ran a line through Blackey in November 1912. Over the next fifteen years, Blackey was transformed from a sleepy mountain town to a bustling modern city. It was chartered in November 1912 and was incorporated on January 27, 1915.[3] In 1913, the community became the home of the Stuart Robinson School, a Presbyterian settlement school that was to operate there until 1957.[4] In 1917, the Blackey Coal Company was established as the first coal company in Blackey. The company constructed thirty houses and employed eighty miners.[3]
In May 1927, a flash flood devastated the city. In one hour, the North Fork of the Kentucky River rose eighteen feet, killing 26 people in Letcher County alone. Later in December a fire broke out destroying most of the city's business district. Then in February 1928, another fire broke out and destroyed the rest of the town. Shortly afterwards, Blackey State Bank failed and the Great Depression ended the prosperity of the boom town.[3]
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