How to Choose the Right Electrician Trade School near Jellico Tennessee
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Jellico TN. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are so many factors to evaluate. For instance, many students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have located a few that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. Even though location and cost are of importance, they are not the only things that should be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your final judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are available.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are several approaches to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Jellico TN. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the three most common programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Tennessee vocational and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take 2 years to finish and are provided by Tennessee junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Tennessee colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Jellico TN can undertake a wide range of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about four to five years of experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you select not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online
A possibility that you may have contemplated is choosing an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools have become more prevalent as a way 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 get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more convenient option for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Driving costs from Jellico TN are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Now that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Jellico TN area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional factors that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical programs have received 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 relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Jellico TN school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states mandate 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could suggest that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It may also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Jellico TN students secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Jellico TN area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Jellico TN electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Jellico home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might 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 couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to several of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the teachers 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 evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Jellico TN, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
How To Learn To Be An Electrician Jellico Tennessee
Picking the best electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in How To Learn To Be An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Education. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Jellico TN.
More Electric Locations in Tennessee
Jellico, Tennessee
The name "Jellico" is a regional corruption of "Angelica", an herb that grows in abundance in the surrounding mountains. The name was first applied to the mountains to the west and to the mountains' main drainage, Jellico Creek, which passes 5 miles (8 km) west of the city of Jellico and empties into the Cumberland River near Williamsburg, Kentucky.
In the early 1880s, a high quality bituminous coal was discovered in the Jellico Mountains, and with the completion of railroad tracks to the area in 1883, coal mines quickly sprang up throughout the area. The city of Jellico was initially founded as "Smithburg" in 1878 but changed its name to "Jellico" in 1883 to capitalize on the growing popularity of Jellico coal. The city was incorporated on March 7, 1883.[1]
Throughout the 1890s and early 1900s, Jellico was one of the most productive coal fields in Kentucky and Tennessee. In 1906, a railroad car packed with dynamite exploded in Jellico, killing eight and destroying part of the town.[1] The town quickly recovered, however, and many of the buildings in the Main Street area date from this period.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
1 Reviews 