How to Find the Right Electrician Technical School near Columbus Mississippi
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Columbus MS. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to consider. For instance, many prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found several that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the only qualifications that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are available.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs
There are several ways to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Columbus MS. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the three most typical programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Mississippi trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who would like to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are provided by Mississippi community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Mississippi colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Columbus MS can perform a wide range of services, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be obtained in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails 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 crucial that the electrician trade school that you pick not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Programs
A possibility that you might have considered is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming 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 some attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, internet learning may be a more convenient alternative for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Travelling expenses from Columbus MS are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be available online as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Because there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Columbus MS area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Columbus MS program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you acquire a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Also, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate may signify that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It may also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Columbus MS students secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Columbus MS area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish 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 already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Columbus MS electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Columbus home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher 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 bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with some of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Columbus MS, check that the programs you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Electrician College Columbus Mississippi
Picking the best electrical trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician College and wanting more information on the topic How Long To Become A Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every training program offers different options for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Columbus MS.
More Electric Locations in Mississippi
Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Lowndes County, on the eastern border of Mississippi, United States,[3] located primarily east, but also north and northeast of the Tombigbee River, which is also referred to as the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. It is approximately 146 miles (235 km) northeast of Jackson, 92 miles (148 km) north of Meridian, 63 miles (101 km) south of Tupelo, 60 miles (97 km) northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and 120 miles (193 km) west of Birmingham, Alabama.[4]
The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census and 23,640 in 2010.[5] The population in 2012 was estimated to be 23,452.[5] Columbus is the principal city of the Columbus Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Columbus-West Point Combined Statistical Area. Columbus is also part of the area of Mississippi called The Golden Triangle, consisting of Columbus, West Point and Starkville, in the counties of Lowndes, Clay and Oktibbeha.
The first record of the site of Columbus in Western history is found in the annals of the explorer Hernando de Soto, who is reputed to have crossed the nearby Tombigbee River on his search for El Dorado. However, the site does not enter the main continuity of United States history until December 1810, when John Pitchlynn, the U.S. Indian agent and interpreter for the Choctaw Nation, moved to Plymouth Bluff, where he built a home, established a farm, and transacted Choctaw Agency business.
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