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How to Select the Right Electrician Technical School near Kokomo Indiana

Kokomo IN electrician working on circuit board The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Kokomo IN. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are so many points to consider. For example, many prospective students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have identified some that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that must be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your final judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are available.

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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options

Kokomo IN electrician on power line pole There are three general options to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Kokomo IN. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Often these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the three most common programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Indiana trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to complete and are provided by Indiana junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Indiana institutions, but are less favored 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 carried out before licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements

Kokomo IN electrician wiring box Electricians in Kokomo IN can perform a wide range of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period 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 general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be obtained in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might need to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools

Kokomo IN student attending electrician school online An option that you might have contemplated is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning can be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Driving costs from Kokomo IN are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be available online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Questions to ask Kokomo IN electrician schools Now that you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Because there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Kokomo IN region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other factors that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before selecting an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Kokomo IN program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, 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 considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It could also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may 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 industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Kokomo IN graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational 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 within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Kokomo IN area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed 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 technician you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Kokomo IN electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Kokomo residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Kokomo IN, check that the schools you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Electrical Degree Online Kokomo Indiana

Kokomo IN electricians working on power lines Choosing the right electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Degree Online and wanting more information on the topic Vocational Electrician Schools. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician training that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Kokomo IN.