How to Become an Electrician in Inez Kentucky
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Inez KY. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are so many points to consider. For instance, some potential students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found several that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant, they are not the sole things that need to be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your final decision when selecting an electrician school. We will address 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 offered.
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Inez KY
There are three general approaches to get electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Inez KY. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the three most typical programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Kentucky vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are offered by Kentucky community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Kentucky institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be performed before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements
Electricians in Inez KY can carry out a vast array of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing 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 become licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around four to five years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be acquired in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails 3 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you select not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Inez KY
An option that you might have contemplated is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, distance learning may be a more accommodating choice for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Commuting expenses from Inez KY are also reduced and some of the study materials can be available on line also. All of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Once you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Because there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Inez KY region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we talked about 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 although all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Inez KY school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you acquire an excellent education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools 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 program. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It could also mean that the teachers 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 directory of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Inez KY grads acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Inez KY area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. 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. Otherwise, ask a local Inez KY electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Inez residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with several of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the teachers and learn 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 assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Inez KY, verify that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain 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 Inez KY?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Inez KY area.
Inez, Kentucky
The area was first settled c. 1810 by James Ward and named Arminta Ward's Bottom. This community was made the seat of Martin County in 1873, replacing its earlier court at Warfield. Upon the occasion, J.M. Stepp renamed it Eden after the Biblical garden. As there was already a post office named Eden, Kentucky, the local postmaster was obliged to rename his Inez on June 23, 1874. The name is usually held to have been derived from that of Inez Frank, the daughter of Louisa's postmaster in neighboring Lawrence County.[3]
President Lyndon B. Johnson visited Inez in 1964, landing by helicopter with his party at an abandoned miniature golf course, to promote the War on Poverty. "At the time, the poverty rate in this coal-mining area was more than 60 percent."[4]
Inez is located at 37°51′59″N 82°32′21″W / 37.86639°N 82.53917°W / 37.86639; -82.53917 (37.866431, -82.539058).[5] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2), all land.
Pick the Ideal Electrical Vocational School near Inez KY
Selecting the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician training that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification also. Perhaps The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Inez KY.
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