How to Enroll in the Right Electrician Tech School near Bowling Green Kentucky
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Bowling Green KY. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many factors to consider. For example, many potential students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the sole qualifications that should be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your final decision when picking an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are available.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are several ways to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Bowling Green KY. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Often these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are brief summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Kentucky technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are offered by Kentucky junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Kentucky colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be performed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Bowling Green KY can undertake a wide range of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around four to five years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails 3 levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations 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 choose not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
An option that you might have considered is choosing an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical choice for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Travelling costs from Bowling Green KY are also lessened and some of the study materials can be available on line as well. Each of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Bowling Green KY area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are other variables that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Bowling Green KY school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify 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 complete the program. A lower completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It could also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory 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 field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Bowling Green KY graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical 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 relationships with Bowling Green KY area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Bowling Green KY electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Bowling Green home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Bowling Green KY, check that the programs you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Training Electrician Bowling Green Kentucky
Picking the right electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Training Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Residential Electrical Training. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Each program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Bowling Green KY.
More Electric Locations in Kentucky
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Bowling Green is a home rule-class city and the county seat of Warren County, Kentucky, United States.[2] As of 2017, its population of 67,067 made it the third most-populous city in the state after Louisville and Lexington; its metropolitan area had an estimated population of 165,732; and the combined statistical area it shares with Glasgow has an estimated population of 218,870.[3][4][5]
Founded by pioneers in 1798, Bowling Green was the provisional capital of Confederate Kentucky during the American Civil War. The city was the subject of the 1967 Everly Brothers song "Bowling Green".
In the 21st century, it is the location of numerous manufacturers, including General Motors and Fruit of the Loom. The Bowling Green Assembly Plant has been the source of all Chevrolet Corvettes built since 1981. Bowling Green is also home to the state's second-largest public university, Western Kentucky University. In 2014, Forbes magazine listed Bowling Green as one of the Top 25 Best Places to Retire in the United States.[6]
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