How to Select the Right Electrician Training School near Memphis Tennessee
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Memphis TN. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are so many points to examine. For instance, many potential students will commence by searching 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. While location and cost are important, they are not the sole things that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your final decision when choosing an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are several options to get electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Memphis TN. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are brief explanations of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Tennessee technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to complete and are provided by Tennessee community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Tennessee institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Therefore, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Memphis TN can perform a vast array of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be earned in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes three 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you pick not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools
An alternative that you might have contemplated is choosing an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning may be a more convenient choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Travelling costs from Memphis TN are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be available online as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Memphis TN region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Memphis TN school 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 obtain a superior education, it can help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also signify that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which can mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Memphis TN graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Memphis TN area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Memphis TN electrical contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Memphis home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with a few of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience 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 can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Memphis TN, check that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Electrician School Memphis Tennessee
Picking the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. 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 discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration 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 program offers different options for certification also. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Memphis TN.
More Electric Locations in Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city located along the Mississippi River in southwestern Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. The 2017 city population was 652,236,[5] making Memphis the 25th largest city in the United States. Greater Memphis is the 42nd largest metropolitan area in the United States, with a population of 1,348,260 in 2017.[6] The city is the anchor of West Tennessee and the greater Mid-South region, which includes portions of neighboring Arkansas and Mississippi. Memphis is the seat of Shelby County, the most populous county in Tennessee. As one of the most historic and cultural cities of the southern United States, the city features a wide variety of landscapes and distinct neighborhoods.
The first European explorer to visit the area of present-day Memphis was Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto in 1541 with his expedition into the New World. The high bluffs protecting the location from the waters of the Mississippi would then be contested between the Spanish, French, and the English as Memphis took shape. Modern Memphis was founded in 1819 by three prominent Americans: John Overton, James Winchester, and future president Andrew Jackson.[7]
Memphis grew into one of the largest cities of the Antebellum South as a market for agricultural goods, natural resources like lumber, and the American slave trade. After the American Civil War and the end of slavery, the city experienced even faster growth into the 20th century as it became among the largest world markets for cotton[8] and lumber.
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