How to Find the Best Electrician Technical School near West Point Mississippi
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near West Point MS. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are so many points to examine. For instance, some potential students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their residence. After they have identified some that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the sole things that should be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are several approaches to get electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near West Point MS. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the three most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Mississippi technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to finish and are offered by Mississippi community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Mississippi colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in West Point MS can carry out a wide range of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally about four to five years of experience is called for in order to take 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 way for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be obtained in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases includes three 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 trade school that you pick not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online
An option that you may have contemplated is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning might be a more convenient choice for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Commuting expenses from West Point MS are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available online also. All of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Once you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the West Point MS area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the West Point MS school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It could also mean that the instructors 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 broader directory of graduates, 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 validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist West Point MS grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with West Point MS area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained 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, check with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local West Point MS electrical company if they can provide some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your West Point residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with several of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near West Point MS, check that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Online Journeyman Electrician School West Point Mississippi
Choosing the ideal electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Online Journeyman Electrician School and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Training Courses Online. But as we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should 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. Training programs vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in West Point MS.
More Electric Locations in Mississippi
West Point, Mississippi
West Point is a city in Clay County, Mississippi, in the Golden Triangle region of the state. The population was 11,307 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Clay County[4] and the principal city of the West Point Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Columbus-West Point Combined Statistical Area.
West Point, MS is located in the North East section of Mississippi just across the Alabama state line. West Point has a rich heritage with generations of family lineage calling it home. Historically the area has a blend of African American, White and Native American lineage. The city has many social activities sponsored by church and civic organizations.
As of the census[4] of 2010, there were 11,307 people 4,444 households, and 3,043 families residing in the city. The population density was 535.13 people per square mile (225.3/km²). There were 4,856 housing units at an average density of 235.3 per square mile (90.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 40.6% White, 56.9% African American, 0.01% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 0.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 0.9% of the population. There were 3,043 households out of which 22.2% had own children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.1% were married couples living together, 28.4% had a female householder with no husband present, male household no wife present 4.9% and 31.5% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 28.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48, and the average family size was 3.04. In the city, the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 20 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.4 years. The population was 53.7% female and 46.3% male. The median income for a household in the city was $30,440, and the median income for a family was $39,295. The per capita income for the city was $17,675. About 23.4% of families and 24.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.8% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those people age 65 or over.
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