How to Become an Electrician in Lordsburg New Mexico
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Lordsburg NM. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of variables to examine. For instance, some prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have found several that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the only qualifications that need to be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are available.
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near Lordsburg NM
There are multiple ways to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Lordsburg NM. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are short explanations of the three most common programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by New Mexico vocational and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to finish and are provided by New Mexico junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain New Mexico colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Lordsburg NM can carry out a vast array of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is called for before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be earned in various specializations, such as 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 crucial that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Lordsburg NM
A possibility that you might have considered is choosing an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning might be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Commuting costs from Lordsburg NM are also lessened and some of the study materials can be available online as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Lordsburg NM area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we discussed 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 even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Lordsburg NM program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It might also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly important 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 use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Lordsburg NM grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Lordsburg NM area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Lordsburg NM electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Lordsburg home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult 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 instructors and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Lordsburg NM, check that the programs you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lordsburg NM?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Lordsburg NM area.
Lordsburg, New Mexico
Lordsburg is the birthplace of the official New Mexico state song, "O Fair New Mexico".[4] It was written by Lordsburg resident Elizabeth Garrett, the blind daughter of famed sheriff Pat Garrett. In 1917, Governor Washington Ellsworth Lindsey signed the legislation making it the official state song. In 1928, John Philip Sousa presented Governor Arthur T. Hannett and the people of New Mexico an arrangement of the state song embracing a musical story of the Indian, the cavalry, the Spanish and the Mexican.[5]
In December 1938, the Lordsburg Municipal Airport (KLSB) began operation.[6] It was the first airport in New Mexico.[7] In 1927, Lordsburg was one of the stops on Charles Lindbergh's transcontinental Spirit of Saint Louis air tour. In the early 1950s the airport was served by the original Frontier Airlines (1950–1986) which flew DC-3's on a route from El Paso to Phoenix that included stops at Las Cruces, Deming, and Lordsburg, as well as Clifton, Safford, and Tucson, Arizona.[8] It is owned by the City of Lordsburg and is southeast, about one mile outside the city limits.[9]
Lordsburg held as many as 1,500 Japanese Americans in a Japanese American internment camp operated by the U.S. Army during World War II. On July 27, 1942, shortly after the Lordsburg Internment Camp was opened, Private First Class Clarence Burleson, a sentry at the facility, allegedly shot two Japanese American internees under questionable circumstances. One of the victims, Hirota Isomura, apparently died instantly. The other, Toshiro Kobata, died before dawn. After a military investigation and court-martial, Burleson was found to have lawfully killed the two men. The camp operated until July 1943.[10][11] The incident inspired an episode of the new Hawaii 5-0 series, "Ho'oani Makuakane", Episode 4/9 (original air date December 13, 2013).
Enroll in the Ideal Electrical Trade School near Lordsburg NM
Choosing the right electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Lordsburg NM.
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