How to Enroll in the Right Electrician Tech School near Saint Stephens Alabama
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Saint Stephens AL. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are so many points to examine. For instance, some potential students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have located some that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the sole things that need to be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are several options to get electrician training in a trade or technical school near Saint Stephens AL. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Bellow are short summaries of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Alabama technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards those who would like to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are provided by Alabama community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Alabama institutions, but are less favored 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 prior to licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Saint Stephens AL can undertake a vast array of tasks, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around 4 to 5 years of experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be earned in several specialties, 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 tech school that you pick not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools
An option that you might have considered is selecting an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning may be a more convenient alternative for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Travelling expenses from Saint Stephens AL are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be available online as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Saint Stephens AL region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Saint Stephens AL school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you get a superior education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, 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 training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It could also mean that the instructors 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 list of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Saint Stephens AL students secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Saint Stephens AL area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school 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 concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Saint Stephens AL electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Saint Stephens home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in 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 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 big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to some of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few 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 programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Saint Stephens AL, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.
Education Requirements For Electrician Saint Stephens Alabama
Selecting the right electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new career. 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 covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Saint Stephens AL.
More Electric Locations in Alabama
Saint Stephens meridian
The Saint Stephens meridian, in longitude 88° 02′ west from Greenwich, begins at the initial point (Ellicott's Corner), on the base line, in latitude 31° north, passes through Saint Stephens, Alabama, extends south to Mobile Bay and north to latitude 33° 06′ 20″, and governs the surveys in the southern district of Alabama, and in Pearl River district lying east of the river and south of the Choctaw Baseline, in latitude 31° 52′ 40″ north, in the state of Mississippi.
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