Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Lubbock TX 79401

How to Become an Electrician in Lubbock Texas

Lubbock TX electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Lubbock TX. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are so many variables to examine. For instance, many prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have located a few that are within driving distance, they will decide on the one with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the only things that should be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are accessible.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Lubbock TX

Lubbock TX electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several ways to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Lubbock TX. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the three most typical programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Texas technical and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to complete and are offered by Texas community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Texas colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be performed prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites

Lubbock TX electricians working on power lines Electricians in Lubbock TX can carry out a vast array of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes 3 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you select not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Lubbock TX

attending electrician school online in Lubbock TX An option that you might have considered is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, internet learning may be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving expenses from Lubbock TX are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online also. All of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Lubbock TX electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Because there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Lubbock TX region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Lubbock TX school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you acquire an excellent education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, some states mandate 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 percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might signify that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It may also suggest that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high 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 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 trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Lubbock TX students acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician trade programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Lubbock TX area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus 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, check with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Lubbock TX electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Lubbock residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with a few of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Lubbock TX, check that the schools you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lubbock TX?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Lubbock TX area.

Lubbock, Texas

Lubbock (/ˈlʌbək/ LUB-ək)[6] is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States.[7] The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically and geographically as the Llano Estacado and ecologically is part of the southern end of the High Plains. According to a 2015 Census estimate, Lubbock had a population of 252,506.[2] making it the 83rd-most populous city in the United States of America and the 11th-most populous city in the state of Texas.[8][9] The city is the economic center of the Lubbock metropolitan area, which has a projected 2020 population of 327,424.[10]

Lubbock's nickname, "Hub City", derives from it being the economic, educational, and health care hub of the multicounty region, north of the Permian Basin and south of the Texas Panhandle, commonly called the South Plains.[11] The area is the largest contiguous cotton-growing region in the world[12][13] and is heavily dependent on water drawn from the Ogallala Aquifer for irrigation. Lubbock was selected as the 12th-best place to start a small business by CNNMoney.com.[14] CNN mentioned the city's traditional business atmosphere: low rent for commercial space, central location, and cooperative city government. Lubbock is home to Texas Tech University, the sixth-largest college by enrollment in the state. Lubbock High School has been recognized for three consecutive years by Newsweek as one of the top high schools in the United States, based in part on its international baccalaureate program.[15]

Lubbock County was founded in 1876. It was named after Thomas Saltus Lubbock, former Texas Ranger and brother of Francis Lubbock, governor of Texas during the Civil War.[16] As early as 1884, a U.S. post office existed in Yellow House Canyon. A small town, known as Old Lubbock, Lubbock, or North Town, was established about three miles to the east. In 1890, the original Lubbock merged with Monterey, another small town south of the canyon. The new town adopted the Lubbock name. The merger included moving the original Lubbock's Nicolett Hotel across the canyon on rollers to the new townsite. Lubbock became the county seat in 1891,[17] and was incorporated on March 16, 1909. In the same year, the first railroad train arrived.

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Pick the Ideal Electrical Vocational School near Lubbock TX

Picking the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Each program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you decide on 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 Lubbock TX.