Tag Archives: How to Become an Electrician in Hoonah AK 99829

Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Hoonah AK 99829

How to Become an Electrician in Hoonah Alaska

Hoonah AK electrician inspecting circuit panelThe first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Hoonah AK. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are so many factors to consider. For example, many students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have located a few that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole factors that should be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate decision when picking an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are offered.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Hoonah AK

Hoonah AK electrician re-wiring power outletThere are several approaches to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Hoonah AK. 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 common as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are short summaries of the 3 most common programs offered.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Alaska technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degree Programs involve two years to complete and are offered by Alaska community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Alaska 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 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines

Hoonah AK electricians working on power linesElectricians in Hoonah AK can undertake a vast array of services, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally around four to five years of practical experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be earned in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 3 levels of proficiency:

  • An experience requirement
  • Passing a written exam
  • Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you pick not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs in Hoonah AK

attending electrician school online in Hoonah AKAn alternative that you may have contemplated is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more accommodating alternative for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Commuting costs from Hoonah AK are also reduced and some of the study materials can be accessed online as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Hoonah AK electrician re-wiring circuit panelNow that you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Hoonah AK area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before selecting an electrical technical school.

Accreditation.  Many electrician technical schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Hoonah AK school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you get a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training program 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 complete the course. A low completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It could also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Hoonah AK graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Numerous 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 inside their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Hoonah AK area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Hoonah AK electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Hoonah residence. Take note 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 important that you get as much individualized 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 instructors. Speak with some of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Hoonah AK, check that the programs you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure 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, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Hoonah AK?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Hoonah AK area.

Hoonah, Alaska

Hoonah (Xunaa in Tlingit) is a largely Tlingit community on Chichagof Island, located in Alaska's panhandle in the southeast region of the state. It is 30 miles (48 km) west of Juneau, across the Alaskan Inside Passage. Hoonah is the only first-class city on Chichagof Island, the 109th largest island in the world and the 5th largest island in the United States. At the 2010 census the population was 760,[5] down from 860 at the 2000 census. In the summer the population can swell to over 1,300 depending on fishing, boating, hiking and hunting conditions.[citation needed] "Hoonah" became the official spelling in 1901, with establishment of the Hoonah branch of the United States Post Office.[6]Xunaa means "protected from the North Wind" in the Tlingit language.

The clans comprising the Huna Tlingit originally settled what is now Glacier Bay National Park as well as Icy Strait, Cross Sound, and the outer coast north to Sea Otter Creek. Two catastrophic events forced the Tlingit from their homeland; rapid glacial advance in Glacier Bay and a landslide-induced tsunami in Lituya Bay along the outer coast. Tlingit oral tradition recounts these events as well as the clans' ultimate resettlement in Xunaa.

Sheldon Jackson established the first school house and teacher's residence in November 1881. The school was initially overseen by Mr. and Mrs. Walter B. Styles of New York until their transfer to Sitka in 1882. The Reverend and Mrs. John McFarland assumed responsibility for the school in 1884, and by 1885 219 Tlingit students were enrolled: 69 boys, 76 girls and 74 adults.[10] A territorial school and government school were built in 1923. In 1932 the government school was demolished and replaced by a Bureau of Indian Affairs school.[11]

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Enroll in the Right Electrician Tech School near Hoonah AK

Picking the ideal electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Hoonah AK.

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