Electrical License Classes Columbus AR

How to Find the Best Electrician Tech School near Columbus Arkansas

Columbus AR electrician working on circuit boardThe initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Columbus AR. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are a number of factors to examine. For instance, some potential students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have identified a few that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the only factors that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate decision when picking an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are available.

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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options

Columbus AR electrician on power line poleThere are three general options to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Columbus AR. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are brief explanations of the three most typical programs available.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Arkansas 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 faster as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degrees involve two years to complete and are offered by Arkansas community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Arkansas colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria

Columbus AR electrician wiring boxElectricians in Columbus AR can undertake a multitude of functions, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be acquired in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes

Columbus AR student attending electrician school onlineAn alternative that you may have considered is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, distance learning might be a more practical choice for students 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 counterparts. Driving costs from Columbus AR are also minimized and some of the study materials can be accessed on line also. All of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Questions to ask Columbus AR electrician schoolsNow that you have made a decision 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 Columbus AR region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other factors that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical trade school.

Accreditation.  Numerous electrician trade schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Columbus AR school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it 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 finish the program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It may also indicate that the instructors 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 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 will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Columbus AR grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Many electrician vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Columbus AR area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides employment 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 working with in the field. If you are already 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 Columbus AR electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Columbus home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with several of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Columbus AR, confirm that the programs you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Electrical License Classes Columbus Arkansas

Columbus AR electricians working on power linesPicking the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical License Classes and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Online Schools. But as we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician training that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you select is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Columbus AR.

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    Malco Theatres

    Malco Theatres, Inc. is a movie theatre chain that has remained family owned and operated for over one hundred years. It has been led by four generations of the Lightman family. The company has 33 theatre locations with over 340 screens in six states (including Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee). Malco also operates three bowling centers and a family entertainment center in southern Louisiana and a family entertainment center in Oxford, MS.

    Malco Theatres' history began during World War I when Morris A. "M. A." Lightman, Sr., (known as M.A.) the son of Hungarian immigrant Joseph Lightman, left his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee, and went to Colbert County, Alabama, to work on the Wilson Dam project as an engineer. Although he held a degree in engineering from Vanderbilt University, he thought of himself more as a showman and entertainer. Lightman decided it was time to try something new one day while in Northwest Alabama, when he came upon a long line of people waiting to get into a local theatre. He decided he wanted to operate a movie theatre. Lightman traveled to Atlanta where he had made a contact in the theatre business and sought to learn the art of movie exhibition.

    Upon his return two months later to Northwest Alabama, in February 1915, Lightman formed The Sterling Amusement Company and opened his first theatre in a storefront he had rented in Sheffield, Alabama. Lightman named this storefront theatre "The Liberty Theater", and later opened a 400-seat theatre, "The Majestic" across the river in Florence, Alabama at 204 North Court Street, in August 1919. Lightman opened a third theatre in the area before accepting an offer from another local theatre owner to buy out his theatres in the area. In return, Lightman received a 50 per cent stake in a theatre in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

     

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