How to Select the Right Electrician Technical School near Sturgis Kentucky
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Sturgis KY. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are a number of points to consider. For example, some students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their home. When they have found several that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole factors that should be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are offered.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are three general ways to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Sturgis KY. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Often these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are short explanations of the three most common programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Kentucky technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards those who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are offered by Kentucky community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Kentucky colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Sturgis KY can undertake a wide range of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around four to five years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be acquired in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you select not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Schools Online
An option that you might have contemplated is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not completely 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 might be a more convenient option for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting expenses from Sturgis KY are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line also. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Now that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Sturgis KY region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other variables that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Sturgis KY school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It could also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct 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 alumni, which can produce 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 an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Sturgis KY graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician vocational 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 inside their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Sturgis KY area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school 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 currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Sturgis KY electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Sturgis home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Sturgis KY, verify that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Train As An Electrician Sturgis Kentucky
Picking the ideal electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Train As An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Vocational Schools. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are assessing includes a considerable amount 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 provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you pick is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Sturgis KY.
More Electric Locations in Kentucky
Sturgis, Kentucky
Sturgis is a home rule-class city in Union County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,030 at the 2000 census. Located in northwest Kentucky, the city was founded in 1886 and named for Samuel Sturgis, who owned the land now occupied by the city.[2]
The area surrounding what would become Sturgis was first settled by American Revolutionary War officers, mostly from Virginia, who had received bounty land for their service. The History of Union County, published in 1886 by The Courier Co., says, "The county had its aristocrats but the [Civil] War had a decidedly leveling tendency yet, there is a tolerably well defined line still marking the society of the county into different sets."
Sturgis was founded the same year as a company town by the Cumberland Land and Iron Company within its coal-mining development. The name derives from either Samuel P. Sturgis, who originally owned the townsite, or for Alida Livingston Sturgis (Samuel's sister), who was married to the president and general manager of the Ohio Valley Railroad Company.[3] The community incorporated as a town on May 3, 1890, with population of 327.[4] The town was reclassified as a city in the 1920s.
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