Find Electrician Schools Near Me in West Lafayette IN 47906

How to Become an Electrician in West Lafayette Indiana

West Lafayette IN electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near West Lafayette IN. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of factors to evaluate. For example, many potential students will start by searching for schools that are close to their home. Once they have located several that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole 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 other qualifiers should influence your final judgment when picking an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are offered.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near West Lafayette IN

West Lafayette IN electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple approaches to get electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near West Lafayette IN. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most typical programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Indiana technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards students who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require two years to complete and are offered by Indiana junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Indiana colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be carried out prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines

West Lafayette IN electricians working on power lines Electricians in West Lafayette IN can undertake a multitude of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be earned in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves three levels of competency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying agencies 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 provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in West Lafayette IN

attending electrician school online in West Lafayette IN An option that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, internet learning might be a more accommodating choice for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Travelling costs from West Lafayette IN are also reduced and some of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician trade 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

West Lafayette IN electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Since there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the West Lafayette IN area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other factors that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the West Lafayette IN school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify 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 or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate may signify that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It might also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help West Lafayette IN grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with West Lafayette IN area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local West Lafayette IN electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within driving distance of your West Lafayette home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging 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 students and teachers. Talk to a few of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near West Lafayette IN, check that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near West Lafayette IN?

Following is a little bit of background information about the West Lafayette IN area.

West Lafayette, Indiana

West Lafayette /ˌlɑːfiˈɛt/ is a city in Wabash Township, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States,[6] about 65 miles (105 km) northwest of the state capital of Indianapolis and 103 miles (166 km) southeast of Chicago. West Lafayette is directly across the Wabash River from its sister city, Lafayette. As of the 2016 census estimate, its population was 45,872.[7] It is the most densely populated city in Indiana and is home to Purdue University.

Augustus Wylie laid out a town in 1836 in the Wabash River floodplain south of the present Levee. Due to regular flooding of the site, Wylie's town was never built. The present city was formed in 1888 by the merger of the adjacent suburban towns of Chauncey, Oakwood, and Kingston, located on a bluff across the Wabash River from Lafayette, Indiana.[8] The three towns had been small suburban villages which were directly adjacent to one another. Kingston was laid out in 1855 by Jesse B. Lutz. Chauncey was platted in 1860 by the Chauncey family of Philadelphia, wealthy land speculators. Chauncey and Kingston formed a municipal government in 1866 which selected the name "Chauncey".[8]

The new town of Chauncey remained a small suburban village until Purdue University opened in 1869. In 1871 Chauncey voted to be annexed by Lafayette because it was unable to provide the infrastructure (such as improved streets, waterworks, police and fire protection). Lafayette voted against annexing Chauncey because of the high cost of the many improvements that the village lacked.[9] In May 1888, the town of Chauncey voted to change its name to West Lafayette after a petition signed by 152 electors.[10] By that time, the growth of the university was fueling the growth of the little town. The address of Purdue University was given as "Lafayette, Indiana" until well into the twentieth century. West Lafayette never gained a railroad depot and lagged several years behind Lafayette in the establishment of municipal infrastructure and services. Today, West Lafayette has established itself as a separate city, with independent services and unique neighborhoods distinct from those of its sister city, Lafayette.

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Find the Ideal Electrician Technical School near West Lafayette IN

Picking the ideal electrician trade school 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 training programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in West Lafayette IN.