How to Become an Electrician in Greenwood Louisiana
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Greenwood LA. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are so many variables to examine. For example, some prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their home. Once they have found some that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that should be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Greenwood LA
There are several approaches to receive electrician training in a trade or technical school near Greenwood LA. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are short summaries of the three most common programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Louisiana vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take two years to complete and are offered by Louisiana junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Louisiana institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be carried out before licensing. Because of that, many students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Greenwood LA can perform a wide range of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be acquired in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails 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 choose not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Greenwood LA
An option that you might have contemplated is choosing an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning can be a more practical choice for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Commuting costs from Greenwood LA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be available online also. All of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Greenwood LA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other variables that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Greenwood LA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get an excellent education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It could also signify that the teachers 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 directory of graduates, which can mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Greenwood LA graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Greenwood LA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment 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 already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Greenwood LA electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Greenwood residence. Take note that if you decide to attend 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 personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to several of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Greenwood LA, check that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Greenwood LA?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Greenwood LA area.
Greenwood, Louisiana
Greenwood is a town in southern Caddo Parish, which is located in the northwest corner of Louisiana, United States. The population was 3,219 at the 2010 census,[3] up from 2,458 in 2000. Part of the Shreveport-Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area, it is located 15 miles west of downtown Shreveport.
Greenwood is approximately 165 miles east of Dallas, Texas, and about 290 miles northwest of New Orleans. In 2006 Earnest Lampkins was elected as the first black mayor of Greenwood; in January 2007 shots were fired into his house and he received threats during his tenure.
During the Civil War Battle of Mansfield in April 1864, Confederate wounded were treated at the historic Dunn House built in the 1840s. It is now located next to the Town Hall on Highway 80. Several other historic houses located in Greenwood, including the Trosper House, have been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Enroll in the Right Electrician Technical School near Greenwood LA
Picking the right electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Greenwood LA.
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