How to Select the Best Electrician Trade School near Mousie Kentucky
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Mousie KY. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are a number of variables to evaluate. For instance, many students will start by searching for schools that are close to their home. Once they have located several that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the only factors that must be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are available.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are multiple ways to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Mousie KY. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most typical programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Kentucky trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards students who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are offered by Kentucky junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Kentucky colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Mousie KY can perform a multitude of tasks, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes
An alternative that you might have looked at is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning might be a more accommodating choice for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Driving expenses from Mousie KY are also reduced and some of the study materials can be accessed online as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Once you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Mousie KY area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first two that we talked about 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 important when making your selection, there are other factors that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational schools have received 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 Mousie KY school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it 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 of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Mousie KY graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Mousie KY area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional 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 on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Mousie KY electrical contractor if they can provide some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Mousie residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Mousie KY, confirm that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
Electrician School Mousie Kentucky
Picking the ideal electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician School and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Tech Schools. But as we have addressed 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 training program that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Each training program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Probably the best way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Mousie KY.
More Electric Locations in Kentucky
Mousie, Kentucky
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
6 Reviews 