How to Choose the Best Electrician Training School near Earlington Kentucky
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Earlington KY. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are so many factors to examine. For instance, many potential students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have identified several that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the sole things that must be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are available.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are multiple approaches to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Earlington KY. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are brief summaries of the three most common programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Kentucky vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve two years to finish and are provided by Kentucky junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Kentucky colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Earlington KY can carry out a multitude of tasks, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about four to five years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually assess 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 differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be acquired in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you pick not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools
A possibility that you may have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, internet learning might be a more accommodating option for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting costs from Earlington KY are also lessened and some of the study materials may be available online as well. All of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Earlington KY region, it’s essential 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 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 crucial when making your decision, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before choosing an electrical tech 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 overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Earlington KY school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It could also indicate that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative 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 employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Earlington KY grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Earlington KY area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed 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, check with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Earlington KY electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Earlington residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized 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 observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak with some of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Earlington KY, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.
Become A Qualified Electrician Earlington Kentucky
Choosing the best electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Become A Qualified Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Classes Online. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician training that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world context, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Earlington KY.
More Electric Locations in Kentucky
Earlington, Kentucky
Earlington was settled in 1870 around the area's coal fields. On its incorporation a year later, it was formally named for John Baylis Earle, a lawyer who was central to developing the coal industry in the region.[4]
Until the mid-1970s, the city of Earlington operated an independent school system. The system served students from the primary grades until high school graduation. In 1967, the Earlington Yellowjackets won the state "Sweet 16" basketball tournament. During the 1960s, the champions of the Sweet 16 were typically from Jefferson County (Louisville) or Fayette County (Lexington), the largest population centers in the state. Earlington remains one of the smallest schools ever to win the "Sweet 16" in the modern era. The team was coached by Bob Fox, who was a native of Earlington and played basketball for Earlington in the late 1940's. He amassed an impressive coaching record at Earlingon at 141-26 and was inducted into the KHSAA Hall of Fame in 2001.
When the city school board decided to merge with the Hopkins County School System, the community was divided. Half of the students were enrolled at South Hopkins High School, about 3 miles (5 km) to the south, and the others went to West Hopkins High School, 8 miles (13 km) to the west. The division was made along the railroad line that bisects the town.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
