How to Select the Best Electrician Trade School near Kentwood Louisiana
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Kentwood LA. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to consider. For example, some potential students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have found several that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the sole qualifications that should be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your final judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs
There are several ways to get electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Kentwood LA. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three options. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the three most common programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Louisiana technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to complete and are offered by Louisiana community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Louisiana institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Kentwood LA can perform a wide range of tasks, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be acquired in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you choose not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
A possibility that you might have looked at is choosing an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning may be a more practical option for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting costs from Kentwood LA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be available on line as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Kentwood LA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are other variables that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have earned 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 a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Kentwood LA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you acquire an excellent education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, a number of states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify 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 might signify that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It could also mean that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may result in 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 field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Kentwood LA grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational 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 inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Kentwood LA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Kentwood LA electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Kentwood home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Kentwood LA, confirm that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.
Electrical School Kentwood Louisiana
Selecting the right electrical trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical School and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Certification Classes. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world context, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Kentwood LA.
More Electric Locations in Louisiana
Kentwood, Louisiana
Kentwood is a rural town in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, United States, near the Mississippi border. The population was 2,205 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hammond Micropolitan Statistical Area. Kentwood is best known as the hometown of singer Britney Spears and her sister, actress and singer Jamie Lynn.
Water from Kentwood is bottled and popularly marketed in New Orleans under the Kentwood Springs label. Kentwood is also known as "The Dairy Capital of the South." Kentwood formerly held a dairy parade each November where people sold crafts and miscellaneous items. The festival has not been held for several years due to the shutdown of the dairy plant in the 1970s and the subsequent decline of the town and its economy. Later, the parade and festival were moved to the summer months.
On August 30, 2012, pressure on a dam on the Tangipahoa River to the north of the town as a result of Hurricane Isaac led to Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal calling for a mandatory evacuation of the town due to fears of large-scale flooding from Lake Tangipahoa.[4] The evacuation order was later rescinded and the dam held.
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