How to Choose the Right Electrician Vocational School near Shepherdsville Kentucky
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Shepherdsville KY. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are so many factors to examine. For instance, many potential students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their residence. After they have found several that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the only factors that must be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your final decision when picking an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are multiple ways to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Shepherdsville KY. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the 3 most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Kentucky technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to complete and are offered by Kentucky junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Kentucky colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements
Electricians in Shepherdsville KY can carry out a multitude of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be earned in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
A possibility that you might have considered is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, internet learning may be a more accommodating option for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving costs from Shepherdsville KY are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed on line as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Once you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Shepherdsville KY area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are other factors that need to be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research before selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Shepherdsville KY school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it can assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools 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 course. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It might also indicate that the teachers were not competent 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 list of alumni, which may 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 industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Shepherdsville KY students secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician trade programs are taught together 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. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Shepherdsville KY area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Shepherdsville KY electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Shepherdsville residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation 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 difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with several of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Shepherdsville KY, check that the schools you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Education Requirements For Electrician Shepherdsville Kentucky
Choosing the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Education Requirements For Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Certification Classes. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program provides different options for certification also. Probably 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 a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Shepherdsville KY.
More Electric Locations in Kentucky
Shepherdsville, Kentucky
Shepherdsville is a home rule-class city[3] on the Salt River in Bullitt County, Kentucky, in the United States. It is the seat of its county,[4] located just south of Louisville. The population was 11,222 during the 2010 U.S. Census.[5]
The vicinity was originally known by European Americans as "Bullitt's Lick" for the salt licks discovered by surveyor Capt. Thomas Bullitt in 1773. The area was home to Kentucky's first commercial salt works. These were shuttered in the 1830s because of competition from Virginian works along the Kanawha River (now in West Virginia).[6] Shepherdsville developed around the mill and store erected along the Salt River by Adam Shepherd, who had purchased 900 acres (360 ha) in the area. The city received its charter in 1793 and was designated as the county seat when Bullitt County was formed in 1796.[7]
The first post office opened in 1806.[7] In 1836, a mineral water spa called Paroquet Springs opened. The mineral water was believed to have medicinal properties, so sufferers from a variety of maladies visited Shepherdsville to drink and bathe in the water. In the mid-1850s, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad's mainline was constructed nearby.
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