How to Select the Right Electrician Technical School near Prior Lake Minnesota
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Prior Lake MN. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are so many factors to evaluate. For example, many prospective students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located some that are within driving distance, they will decide on the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though location and cost are significant, they are not the only qualifications that must be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are offered.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are three general options to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Prior Lake MN. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are brief explanations of the 3 most common programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Minnesota trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are provided by Minnesota community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Minnesota institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be performed before licensing. For that reason, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Prior Lake MN can perform a multitude of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be obtained in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases includes three 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you pick not only provides 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
A possibility that you may have contemplated is selecting an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, distance learning may be a more practical choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Travelling expenses from Prior Lake MN are also minimized and some of the study materials can be accessed on line also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Prior Lake MN region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Prior Lake MN school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states require 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 of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It could also signify that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Prior Lake MN graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Prior Lake MN area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Prior Lake MN electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Prior Lake residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one training 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. Talk with some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Prior Lake MN, check that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Electrician Online Training Prior Lake Minnesota
Selecting the ideal electrical trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Online Training and wanting more information on the topic Trade Schools For Electricians. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Prior Lake MN.
More Electric Locations in Minnesota
Prior Lake, Minnesota
Prior Lake is a city 20 miles (32 km) southwest of downtown Minneapolis seated next to Savage and Shakopee in Scott County in the state of Minnesota. Surrounding the shores of Lower and Upper Prior Lake, the city lies south of the Minnesota River in an area known as South of the River and establishes the urban fringe of the south-southwest portion of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the sixteenth largest metropolitan area in the United States. The population of Prior Lake was 22,796 at the 2010 census.[5]
Prior Lake was first incorporated as a village in 1891. Prior Lake is one of the oldest cities in the south metro area. The city's modern rapid growth is due in part to the ease of access for commuters to the rest of the region, via the upgraded State Highway 13.[6][7]
As of the 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $75,363, and the median income for a family was $81,011. The per capita income for the city was $32,089. About 1.7% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line.
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