How to Become an Electrician in East Helena Montana
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near East Helena MT. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are a number of variables to consider. For instance, many students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have identified some that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the only factors that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are available.
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near East Helena MT
There are multiple options to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near East Helena MT. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are brief explanations of the three most common programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Montana vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are provided by Montana community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Montana colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of 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 anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Requirements
Electricians in East Helena MT can carry out a vast array of duties, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be earned in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes three 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Programs in East Helena MT
An option that you might have considered is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs have become more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning might be a more practical choice for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Travelling expenses from East Helena MT are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed online as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
When you have decided 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 East Helena MT region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the East Helena MT school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it 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 complete the course. A low completion rate could suggest that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It might also mean that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help East Helena MT students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with East Helena MT area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment 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, talk to the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local East Helena MT electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your East Helena home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on 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 feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near East Helena MT, check that the schools you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make 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, sickness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near East Helena MT?
Following is a little bit of background information about the East Helena MT area.
East Helena, Montana
East Helena is a town in Lewis and Clark County, Montana, about 5 miles (8 km) east of downtown Helena. The population was 1,984 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Helena Micropolitan Statistical Area.
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,984 people, 875 households, and 528 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,146.8 inhabitants per square mile (442.8/km2). There were 916 housing units at an average density of 529.5 per square mile (204.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.0% White, 0.5% African American, 3.3% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.4% from other races, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.6% of the population.
There were 875 households of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.7% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.85.
Pick the Right Electrician Vocational School near East Helena MT
Choosing the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician training that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their personal 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. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each training program offers unique options for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in East Helena MT.
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