How to Select the Right Electrician Vocational School near Magnolia Mississippi
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Magnolia MS. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are so many factors to consider. For example, some prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. When they have located a few that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though location and cost are important, they are not the sole factors that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are accessible.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are multiple options to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Magnolia MS. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Often these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Mississippi technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards students who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to complete and are offered by Mississippi junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Mississippi colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Magnolia MS can carry out a multitude of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be obtained in many 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 important that the electrician trade school that you choose not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online
An alternative that you might have contemplated is choosing an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning might be a more accommodating option for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Travelling expenses from Magnolia MS are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Magnolia MS region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are other factors that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Magnolia MS program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get an excellent education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It could also mean that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, 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 affirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Magnolia MS graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Magnolia MS area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm 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 currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Magnolia MS electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Magnolia home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable 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 a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to several of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Magnolia MS, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
Learn To Be An Electrician Online Magnolia Mississippi
Choosing the ideal electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Learn To Be An Electrician Online and wanting more information on the topic Electrical School. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each training program offers unique options for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you decide on 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 Magnolia MS.
More Electric Locations in Mississippi
Magnolia, Mississippi
Magnolia is a city in Pike County, Mississippi. The population was 2,420 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Pike County,[3] which lies within the McComb, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Magnolia was founded in 1856 by Ansel H. Prewett, a local civic leader and cotton planter. Knowing that the approaching New Orleans, Jackson, and Great Northern Railroad (now the Illinois Central Railroad) would need a station for water and fuel, Prewett sold a right-of-way to the railroad company – for one dollar, according to legend – and divided a section of his plantation into town lots, which he sold to investors. Prewett, while serving as temporary sheriff of Pike County, was killed by outlaws in the early 1870s escorting a prisoner on the very railroad that made Magnolia a viable community.[4]
Magnolia grew rapidly in the 1860s, and in the late nineteenth century Magnolia served as a popular small-town resort for wealthy New Orleanians, who took trains north from New Orleans to enjoy Magnolia's fresh air and sparkling creeks. At one time early Magnolia boasted an opera house, skating rink, and several hotels that catered largely to these tourists.
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