Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Clarksville TN 37040

How to Become an Electrician in Clarksville Tennessee

Clarksville TN electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Clarksville TN. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are so many factors to evaluate. For example, some potential students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their home. When they have found several that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the only things that must be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your final decision when choosing an electrician school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Clarksville TN

Clarksville TN electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple approaches to get electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Clarksville TN. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are short summaries of the 3 most typical programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Tennessee vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who would like to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are offered by Tennessee junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Tennessee colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Requirements

Clarksville TN electricians working on power lines Electricians in Clarksville TN can undertake a wide range of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about four to five years of experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be obtained in various 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 vocational school that you choose not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Clarksville TN

attending electrician school online in Clarksville TN An alternative that you might have looked at is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning can be a more practical choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Driving costs from Clarksville TN are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be available online as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Clarksville TN electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Clarksville TN area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we talked about 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 while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other factors that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Clarksville TN school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing 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 indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It might also suggest that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Clarksville TN students acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Clarksville TN area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently 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 Clarksville TN electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Clarksville residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with some of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Clarksville TN, verify that the programs you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Clarksville TN?

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

Clarksville, Tennessee

Clarksville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States.[8] It is the fifth-largest city in the state behind Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.[9] The city had a population of 132,929 at the 2010 census, and an estimated population of 153,205 in 2017.[10]

It is the principal central city of the Clarksville, TN–KY metropolitan statistical area, which consists of Montgomery and Stewart Counties in Tennessee, and Christian and Trigg Counties in Kentucky. The city was founded in 1785 and incorporated in 1807,[11] and named for General George Rogers Clark, frontier fighter and Revolutionary War hero,[2] and brother of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.[12]

Clarksville is the home of Austin Peay State University; The Leaf-Chronicle, the oldest newspaper in Tennessee; and neighbor to the Fort Campbell, United States Army base. Site of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell is located about 10 miles (16 km) from downtown Clarksville, straddling the Tennessee-Kentucky state line. While the post office for the base is located on the Kentucky side, the majority of the base's acreage is on the Tennessee side.

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Find the Ideal Electrical Tech School near Clarksville TN

Selecting the ideal electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Clarksville TN.