Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Clarksville IN 47129

How to Become an Electrician in Clarksville Indiana

Clarksville IN electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Clarksville IN. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are so many points to consider. For instance, some potential students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have located several that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole things that need to 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 final decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near Clarksville IN

Clarksville IN electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Clarksville IN. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are short explanations of the 3 most common programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Indiana technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who would like to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are offered by Indiana 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 earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Indiana institutions, 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 four years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines

Clarksville IN electricians working on power lines Electricians in Clarksville IN can perform a vast array of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you pick not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Schools Online in Clarksville IN

attending electrician school online in Clarksville IN A possibility that you might have considered is choosing an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools have become more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, distance learning may be a more practical alternative for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Travelling expenses from Clarksville IN are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be available online as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Clarksville IN electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Clarksville IN area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive 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 Clarksville IN school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you obtain an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might signify that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It might also mean 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 more extensive directory of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Clarksville IN graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Clarksville IN area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Clarksville IN electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Clarksville home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in 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 desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to a few of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Clarksville IN, verify that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Clarksville IN?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Clarksville IN area.

Clarksville, Tennessee

Clarksville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States.[8] It is the fifth-largest city in the state behind Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.[9] The city had a population of 132,929 at the 2010 census, and an estimated population of 153,205 in 2017.[10]

It is the principal central city of the Clarksville, TN–KY metropolitan statistical area, which consists of Montgomery and Stewart Counties in Tennessee, and Christian and Trigg Counties in Kentucky. The city was founded in 1785 and incorporated in 1807,[11] and named for General George Rogers Clark, frontier fighter and Revolutionary War hero,[2] and brother of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.[12]

Clarksville is the home of Austin Peay State University; The Leaf-Chronicle, the oldest newspaper in Tennessee; and neighbor to the Fort Campbell, United States Army base. Site of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell is located about 10 miles (16 km) from downtown Clarksville, straddling the Tennessee-Kentucky state line. While the post office for the base is located on the Kentucky side, the majority of the base's acreage is on the Tennessee side.

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Select the Right Electrical Technical School near Clarksville IN

Selecting the ideal electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrical training that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Clarksville IN.