How to Become an Electrician in Arcadia Louisiana
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Arcadia LA. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are a number of points to evaluate. For example, some prospective students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have identified some that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole things that should be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your final judgment when picking an electrician trade 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 training options that are available.
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near Arcadia LA
There are three general ways to receive electrician training in a trade or technical school near Arcadia LA. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most common programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Louisiana vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards those who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are offered by Louisiana community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Louisiana colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Arcadia LA can carry out a multitude of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly around four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be obtained in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Arcadia LA
An option that you might have considered is choosing an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning can be a more accommodating choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Commuting costs from Arcadia LA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Arcadia LA region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are additional factors that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Arcadia LA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states mandate 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It may also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Arcadia LA grads secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Arcadia LA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Arcadia LA electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Arcadia home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Arcadia LA, confirm that the programs you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Arcadia LA?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Arcadia LA area.
Arcadia, Louisiana
Arcadia is a town in and the parish seat of Bienville Parish in north Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,919 at the 2010 census.[5] Arcadia has the highest elevation of any town in Louisiana.
In 1934, Bonnie and Clyde were sought throughout the Southeast for their robbing banks and associated crimes. They were killed near Arcadia by law-enforcement officers from Bienville Parish and Dallas County, Texas. Their bodies were brought for embalming to the former Conger Funeral Home in Arcadia. As word of the killing of the outlaws spread, large crowds of onlookers were drawn to the funeral home, which was also a furniture store. The owner's wife, Inez Conger, grew so angry at the many gawkers standing on the store's tables and chairs to try to get a look at the bodies, that she began splashing formaldehyde around the store in an attempt to drive the crowds away. The bodies were sent to Dallas for separate funerals and interments. The ambush occurred southwest of Arcadia on Louisiana State Highway 154 between Gibsland and Sailes. Gibsland has been a destination for tourism associated with Bonnie and Clyde. L.J. "Boots" Hinton, son of posse member Ted Hinton, operates the Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Museum.
Arcadia has been a center of the poultry industry, with up to 300 independent growers[citation needed] for years supplying the feed mill of Pilgrim's Pride, a poultry company, in Arcadia. In 2009 the company announced the closing of the mill and ending of other operations in nearby Athens in Claiborne Parish, Choudrant in Lincoln Parish, and Farmerville in Union Parish. The closings were estimated to cost North Louisiana a combined 1,300 jobs.[7] Several weeks later, Pilgrim's Pride accepted an $80 million offer from Foster Farms of California to purchase their operations. In addition to the 1,300 direct jobs, mostly in Farmerville, the purchase provides a continuing market for some 300 growers. Foster Farms put up $40 million and the State of Louisiana a matching $40 million. Foster Farms will invest $10 million in capital improvements at the Farmerville plant, to be matched by the state, in an agreement announced by Governor Bobby Jindal.[8]
Find the Ideal Electrical Tech School near Arcadia LA
Picking the right electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Arcadia LA.
Other Cool Cities in Louisiana
Business Results 1 - 10 of 1
3 Reviews 