How to Pick the Right Electrician Vocational School near Billings Montana
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Billings MT. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are so many factors to evaluate. For example, some potential students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located several that are within driving distance, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, 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 additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs
There are multiple approaches to get electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Billings MT. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the three most typical programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Montana trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards students who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are provided by Montana junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Montana colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Billings MT can undertake a vast array of services, such as 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 municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about four to five years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually assess electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes 3 levels of proficiency:
- 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 tech school that you enroll in not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes
A possibility that you might have contemplated is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning may be a more convenient choice for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Driving costs from Billings MT are also lessened and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Once you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Billings MT area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The first two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional variables that need to be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Billings MT program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive a quality education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved 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 program. A low completion rate may suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It might also suggest that the teachers were not competent 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 more extensive directory of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Billings MT graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught in conjunction 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 businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Billings MT area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area 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 working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Billings MT electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Billings residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to a few 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 expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Billings MT, check that the programs you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.
Become An Electrician Billings Montana
Choosing the right electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Become An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Accredited Electrician Trade Schools. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Billings MT.
More Electric Locations in Montana
Billings, Montana
Billings is located in the south-central portion of the state and is the seat of Yellowstone County, which had a 2017 population of 158,980.[5] The 2017 Census estimates put the Billings population at 109,642,[7] making it the only city in Montana with over 100,000 people. The city is experiencing rapid growth and a strong economy; it has had and is continuing to have the largest growth of any city in Montana. Parts of the metro area are seeing hyper growth. From 2000 to 2010 Lockwood, an eastern suburb of the city, saw growth of 57.8%, the largest growth rate of any community in Montana.[8] Billings has avoided the economic downturn that affected most of the nation 2008–2012 as well as avoiding the housing bust.[9][10] With the Bakken oil development in eastern Montana and western North Dakota, the largest oil discovery in U.S. history,[11][12] as well as the Heath shale oil discovery just north of Billings,[13] the city's growth rate stayed high during the shale oil boom.[14][15] Although the city is still growing, the rate of increase has diminished markedly with oil price declines in recent years.[16]
Billings was nicknamed the "Magic City" because of its rapid growth from its founding as a railroad town in March 1882. The city is named for Frederick H. Billings, a former president of the Northern Pacific Railroad. With one of the largest trade areas in the United States,[17] Billings is the trade and distribution center for much of Montana east of the Continental Divide, Northern Wyoming, and western portions of North Dakota and South Dakota. Billings is also the retail destination for much of the same area. With more hotel accommodations than any area within a five-state region, the city hosts a variety of conventions, concerts, sporting events, and other rallies.[17]
Area attractions include Pompey's Pillar, Pictograph Cave, Chief Plenty Coups State Park, Zoo Montana, and Yellowstone Art Museum. Within 100 miles are Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Red Lodge Mountain Resort, and the Beartooth Highway, which links Red Lodge to Yellowstone National Park.
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