How to Select the Best Electrician Trade School near Lafayette Louisiana
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Lafayette LA. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are a number of points to evaluate. For instance, many prospective students will start by looking for schools that are close to their residence. When they have located some that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the only qualifications that must be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician 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 training choices that are offered.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are multiple ways to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Lafayette LA. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are short summaries of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Louisiana trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to complete and are offered by Louisiana community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Louisiana colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Lafayette LA can carry out a multitude of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure 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 duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be earned in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases includes 3 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 crucial that the electrician trade school that you select not only delivers 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.
Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online
A possibility that you may have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools have become more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, distance learning might be a more convenient choice for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Travelling expenses from Lafayette LA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online also. All of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Lafayette LA region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other variables that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Lafayette LA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive a quality education, it can assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of 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 or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate could suggest that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It may also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also essential 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 employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Lafayette LA graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician trade programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Lafayette LA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Lafayette LA electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Lafayette home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Lafayette LA, check that the schools you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Electrician Certificate Lafayette Louisiana
Selecting the best electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Certificate and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Training Classes. 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 reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician training that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each training program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Lafayette LA.
More Electric Locations in Louisiana
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette (/ˌlɑːfiːˈɛt, ˌlæf-/, French: [lafajɛt]) is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana,[4] located along the Vermilion River in the southwestern part of the state. The city of Lafayette is the fourth-largest in the state, with a population of 127,657 according to 2015 U.S. Census estimates.[5] It is the principal city of the Lafayette, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, with a 2015 estimated population of 490,488. The larger trade area or Combined Statistical Area of Lafayette-Opelousas-Morgan City CSA was 627,146 in 2015.[5] Its nickname is The Hub City.
The Attakapas Native Americans inhabited this area at the time of European encounter. French colonists founded the first European settlement, Petit Manchac, a trading post along the Vermilion River.[6] In the late eighteenth century, numerous Acadian refugees settled in this area, after being expelled from Canada after Great Britain defeated France in the Seven Years' War. They intermarried with other settlers, forming what is known as Cajun culture, which continued as strongly French language and Catholic religion.
Jean Mouton, of Acadian descent, donated land to the Catholic church for construction of a small Catholic chapel at this site. In 1824 this area was selected for the Lafayette Parish seat and known as Vermilionville, for its location on the river. In 1836 the Louisiana Legislature granted it incorporation.
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