Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Lexington KY 40501

How to Become an Electrician in Lexington Kentucky

Lexington KY electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Lexington KY. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are so many variables to consider. For instance, many prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have located some that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the only factors that should be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are offered.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Lexington KY

Lexington KY electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general options to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Lexington KY. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the three most common programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Kentucky technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who would like to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take two years to complete and are provided by Kentucky community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Kentucky colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria

Lexington KY electricians working on power lines Electricians in Lexington KY can undertake a multitude of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing 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 states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be obtained in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes three levels of proficiency:

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 enroll in not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Training Classes Online in Lexington KY

attending electrician school online in Lexington KY An alternative that you may have looked at is choosing an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, internet learning might be a more accommodating option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Travelling expenses from Lexington KY are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be available online as well. Each of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Lexington KY electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Lexington KY area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional factors that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. Many electrician technical schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Lexington KY program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you get a superior education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It may also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive 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 will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Lexington KY students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Lexington KY area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed 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 under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Lexington KY electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Lexington home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Lexington KY, verify that the programs you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lexington KY?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Lexington KY area.

Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington, consolidated with Fayette County and often denoted as Lexington-Fayette, is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 60th-largest city in the United States. By land area, Lexington is the 28th largest city in the United States. Known as the "Horse Capital of the World," it is the heart of the state's Bluegrass region. With a mayor-alderman form of government, it is one of two cities in Kentucky designated by the state as first-class; the other is the state's largest city of Louisville.[a] In the 2016 U.S. Census Estimate, the city's population was 318,449, anchoring a metropolitan area of 606,751 people and a combined statistical area of 856,849 people.

Lexington ranks 10th among US cities in college education rate, with 39.5% of residents having at least a bachelor's degree.[4] It is the location of the Kentucky Horse Park, The Red Mile, and Keeneland race courses, Rupp Arena, the world's largest basketball-specific arena, Transylvania University, the University of Kentucky, and Bluegrass Community and Technical College.

This area of fertile soil and abundant wildlife was long occupied by varying tribes of Native Americans. European explorers began to trade with them, but settlers did not come in large numbers until the late 18th century.

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Enroll in the Right Electrical Tech School near Lexington KY

Choosing the best electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Lexington KY.