How to Enroll in the Best Electrician Training School near Mena Arkansas
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Mena AR. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are so many factors to evaluate. For example, many potential students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. Once they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that need to be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician trade 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 educational options that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs
There are multiple options to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Mena AR. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Bellow are short descriptions of the three most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Arkansas trade and technical schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards students who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to finish and are provided by Arkansas community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Arkansas colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Mena AR can undertake a vast array of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around four to five years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be obtained in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases includes 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you select not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools
An option that you may have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning can be a more accommodating option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling costs from Mena AR are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available on line as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Mena AR region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Mena AR program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It may also mean that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Mena AR students acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Mena AR area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Mena AR electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Mena residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one 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. Speak to a few of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Mena AR, confirm that the schools you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
How To Be Electrician Mena Arkansas
Selecting the best electrical 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 How To Be Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electricians Trade School. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical training that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world context, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you select is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Mena AR.
More Electric Locations in Arkansas
Mena, Arkansas
Mena was founded by Arthur Edward Stilwell during the building of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad (now the Kansas City Southern), which stretched from Kansas City, Missouri to Port Arthur, Texas. Train service to Mena began in 1896.
Stilwell named the town in honor of Folmina Margaretha Janssen-De Goeijen, the wife of his friend and financier Jan De Goeijen, whom Mr. De Goeijen affectionately called Mena. Janssen Park in the center of Mena is also named for her.
Mena was settled in 1896 and incorporated on September 18 of that year. In 1897, the Bank of Mena was founded. The following year, the county seat was moved from nearby Dallas to Mena. Mena's population had grown to 3,423 by 1900. The main industries of the area were timber, agriculture and mineral extraction, though it was advertised as a spa city located within a healthy environment. Stilwell donated land to the city in 1906, and a park and campground were constructed. In 1910, the railroad moved its shop facilities from Mena to Heavener, Oklahoma. This created a loss of eight hundred jobs. A private school in Mena, Hendrix Academy, closed in 1905.
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