Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Oakdale TN 37829

How to Become an Electrician in Oakdale Tennessee

Oakdale TN electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Oakdale TN. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are a number of points to examine. For instance, some potential students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have located some that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the sole things that need to be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are available.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Oakdale TN

Oakdale TN electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several options to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Oakdale TN. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Often these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are brief descriptions of the 3 most typical programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Tennessee vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards students who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require two years to finish and are provided by Tennessee junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Tennessee colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria

Oakdale TN electricians working on power lines Electricians in Oakdale TN can perform a multitude of duties, 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 be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally around 4 to 5 years of experience is called for before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be obtained in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes three levels of proficiency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you pick not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Training Classes in Oakdale TN

attending electrician school online in Oakdale TN An option that you may have looked at is choosing an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, internet learning can be a more accommodating option for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Driving expenses from Oakdale TN are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be accessed on line as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Oakdale TN electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Oakdale TN region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other factors that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Oakdale TN school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get a superior education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order 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 percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It could also mean that the instructors were not qualified 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 list of graduates, which can mean 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 trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Oakdale TN graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Oakdale TN area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Oakdale TN electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Oakdale residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Oakdale TN, confirm that the programs you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask 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 Oakdale TN?

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

Oakdale, Tennessee

Oakdale was originally known as "Honeycutt" after an early settler, Allen Honeycutt. In the 1880s, the Cincinnati Southern Railway, which connected Chattanooga and Cincinnati, was built through the area, intersecting the vast system of the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railroad (later the Southern Railway) at Emory Gap near Harriman. Allen Honeycutt donated land to the railroad for construction of a switching point. In 1892, the name of the town was changed to "Oakdale" after a nearby mining operation.[4][5]

The stretch of the Cincinnati Southern from Oakdale to Somerset, Kentucky, involves steep grades that were too difficult for normal late-19th and early-20th century steam-powered locomotives, so a railyard was set up at Oakdale where trains were modified to allow them to make the trek north.[6] By the early 1900s, Oakdale had developed into an important railroad town, with a bank, five general stores, a drugstore, a hardware store, three schools, two churches, six secret societies, and a newspaper.[7] The railroad also erected a large hotel, the Babahatchie Inn ("Babahatchie" was the original name of the Emory River), in 1880, and rebuilt it after it burned in 1892.[4] In 1905, this hotel was converted into one of the nation's largest YMCA facilities,[8] with 1,500 beds and its own library and clinic.[9] Oakdale initially incorporated in 1887, though the state repealed its charter in 1895. It incorporated again in 1911.[4]

The advent of diesel locomotives, which could handle the steep grades without modifications, eliminated the need for the Oakdale railyard, and the town declined in the mid-20th century.[6] A park and tennis courts were built in the 1970s, and a new SR 299 bridge over the Emory was completed in 1999.[5]

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Select the Right Electrical Trade School near Oakdale TN

Picking the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are considering 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 education should provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you pick is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Oakdale TN.