How to Become an Electrician in Harrisonburg Louisiana
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Harrisonburg LA. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are a number of factors to consider. For example, many prospective students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their home. When they have located some that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole things that need to be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when selecting an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are available.
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Harrisonburg LA
There are three general ways to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Harrisonburg LA. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Often these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are brief descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Louisiana technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are provided by Louisiana community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Louisiana institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Harrisonburg LA can undertake a multitude of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be earned in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails three levels of proficiency:
- 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 important that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Harrisonburg LA
An option that you might have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs have become more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning might be a more practical alternative for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Commuting costs from Harrisonburg LA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be available online also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Harrisonburg LA region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. 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 chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are other factors that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess before selecting an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Harrisonburg LA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a superior education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states require 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It might also suggest that the teachers 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 broader directory of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to utilize 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 field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Harrisonburg LA students secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Harrisonburg LA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Harrisonburg LA electrical contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Harrisonburg residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Harrisonburg LA, confirm that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Harrisonburg LA?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Harrisonburg LA area.
Harrisonburg, Louisiana
Riley J. Wilson, who held Louisiana's 5th congressional district seat from 1915 to 1937, resided in Harrisonburg, where he was principal of Harrisonburg High School and then an attorney, district attorney, and state district court judge prior to his election to Congress.
Fort Beauregard, located on a bluff in the northern corner of the village, was a Confederate stronghold during the American Civil War. In 1863, the fort successfully defended Harrisonburg from the attack of four Union gunboats coming from the Black River to the Ouachita River. After four days of bombardment, little damage was done, and the gunboats retired down river.[6]
The village of Harrisonburg formerly staged reenactments at Fort Beauregard, also known as Fort Hill, but those ceremonies ended in the late 20th century. These reenactments were brought back to life for 2015, but halted in 2016, still planned for future years to come.
Enroll in the Right Electrician Trade School near Harrisonburg LA
Selecting the right electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every program offers different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Harrisonburg LA.
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