How to Select the Best Electrician Technical School near Van Lear Kentucky
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Van Lear KY. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to consider. For example, many prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have found several that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the only factors that need to be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are accessible.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are three general ways to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Van Lear KY. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Kentucky technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to complete and are provided by Kentucky community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Kentucky colleges, but are less favored 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. Therefore, many students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Van Lear KY can perform a multitude of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically about four to five years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving 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 earned 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes
A possibility that you might have looked at is choosing an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs have become more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning may be a more accommodating option for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Commuting expenses from Van Lear KY are also reduced and some of the study materials can be accessed online as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Once you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Van Lear KY region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Van Lear KY 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 an excellent education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved 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 or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It could also signify that the teachers 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 graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Van Lear KY graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Van Lear KY area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment 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 on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Van Lear KY electrical contractor if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Van Lear residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to some of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the instructors and find out 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 reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Van Lear KY, verify 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 offers part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.
Electrical Courses College Van Lear Kentucky
Picking the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Courses College and wanting more information on the topic Electrician School Cost. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you choose is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Van Lear KY.
More Electric Locations in Kentucky
Van Lear, Kentucky
Incorporated in 1912, the town was named for a director of Consolidation Coal Company (Consol), Van Lear Black. It owes its existence to the viable efforts of John Caldwell Calhoun Mayo. Mayo bought coal rights to land along Miller's Creek in Johnson County, which he later sold to Northern Coal and Coke, which in turn was later acquired by Consol.
Consol built five miles of railroad into the Johnson County property with money loaned by Van Lear Black's Fidelity Trust. Eventually five coal mines were opened and operated in Van Lear from 1910 through 1946. The vast coal deposits were mined from five underground mines around the clock. The miners included immigrant Irish, Italians and Slavs, as well as Appalachians and locals. The mines were integrated; both blacks and whites worked underground. During the boom years the population surpassed 4000.
In 1945 Consol merged with the Pittsburgh Coal Company, then divested itself of its Miller's Creek properties. The people who lived in company-owned housing were given first chance to purchase those homes and many did. However, most of the major buildings were torn down.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
6 Reviews 