Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Chattanooga TN 37401

How to Become an Electrician in Chattanooga Tennessee

Chattanooga TN electrician inspecting circuit panelThe initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Chattanooga TN. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are so many variables to examine. For instance, many prospective students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. When they have located some that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the only qualifications that need to be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are offered.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Chattanooga TN

Chattanooga TN electrician re-wiring power outletThere are three general ways to get electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Chattanooga TN. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are short explanations of the three most typical programs available.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Tennessee vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards those who want to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are provided by Tennessee 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 begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Tennessee institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be carried out prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites

Chattanooga TN electricians working on power linesElectricians in Chattanooga TN can carry out a vast array of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around four to five years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases includes 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 imperative that the electrician trade school that you pick not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs in Chattanooga TN

attending electrician school online in Chattanooga TNAn alternative that you might have considered is choosing an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools have become more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more convenient option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Commuting expenses from Chattanooga TN are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be available on line as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Chattanooga TN electrician re-wiring circuit panelWhen you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Chattanooga TN region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested 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 additional factors that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical trade school.

Accreditation.  Many electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Chattanooga TN program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you receive a superior education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates.  Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It may also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train 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 list of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize 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 field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Chattanooga TN grads obtain 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 technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Chattanooga TN area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Chattanooga TN electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Chattanooga residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to several of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Chattanooga TN, verify that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Chattanooga TN?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Chattanooga TN area.

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with a population of 177,571 in 2016.[4] The fourth-largest Tennessee city, it is the seat of Hamilton County. Located in southeastern Tennessee, on the Tennessee River, served by multiple railroads and Interstate highways, Chattanooga is a transit hub. Chattanooga lies 120 miles (190 km) northwest of Atlanta, Georgia, 120 miles (190 km) southwest of Knoxville, Tennessee, 135 miles (217 km) southeast of Nashville, Tennessee, 120 miles (190 km) northeast of Huntsville, Alabama, and 148 miles (238 km) northeast of Birmingham, Alabama.

The city, with a downtown elevation of approximately 680 feet (210 m), lies at the transition between the ridge-and-valley portion of the Appalachian Mountains and the Cumberland Plateau. Surrounded by mountains and ridges, the official nickname for Chattanooga is the Scenic City, reinforced by the city's reputation for outdoor activities. Unofficial nicknames include River City, Chatt, Nooga, Chattown, and Gig City, referencing Chattanooga's claims that it has the fastest internet service in the Western Hemisphere.[8][9]

The city has its own typeface, Chatype, which was launched in August 2012. According to the Nooga.com website, this marks the first time that an American city has its own custom-made typeface and also the first time a crowd-funded custom-made typeface has been used for any municipality in the world.[10]

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Choose the Right Electrician Tech School near Chattanooga TN

Picking the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training program that you are considering 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 teaching should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers unique options for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Chattanooga TN.

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