How to Become an Electrician in Madisonville Kentucky
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Madisonville KY. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are a number of variables to examine. For instance, some prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have located a few that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are significant, they are not the sole things that should be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Madisonville KY
There are several approaches to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Madisonville KY. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Often these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Kentucky vocational and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take 2 years to complete and are provided by Kentucky community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Kentucky institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Madisonville KY can perform a multitude of functions, including 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 mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around four to five years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to 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 obtained in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you pick not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes in Madisonville KY
A possibility that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning can be a more practical choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling expenses from Madisonville KY are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be available on line also. All of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Madisonville KY area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research prior to choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Madisonville KY program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify 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 or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It could also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Madisonville KY students secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Madisonville KY area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Madisonville KY electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Madisonville home. Remember 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 important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to several of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Madisonville KY, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Madisonville KY?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Madisonville KY area.
Madisonville, Kentucky
Madisonville is a home rule-class city[5] in and the county seat of Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States,[6] located along Interstate 69 in the state's Western Coal Fields region. The population was 19,591 at the 2010 census.[7] Madisonville is a commercial center of the region and is home to Madisonville Community College.
Hopkins County and Madisonville were divided by the Civil War. Union supporters joined a regiment recruited locally by James Shackleford; Al Fowler recruited Confederate troops. The courthouse in Madisonville was burned by Confederates led by Gen. Hylan B. Lyon on December 17, 1864, as they passed through western Kentucky. While Kentucky remained a Union state, the policies imposed by Union armies in the area caused resentment and sparked sympathy for the Confederate cause.
Farming was the major occupation in Hopkins County for most of the 1800s, with tobacco the leading crop. Around 1837 an outcropping of coal was discovered, and the first coal mine in the county opened in 1869. Mining did not become a major industry until the Louisville & Nashville Railroad pushed its line southward from Henderson through Madisonville and toward Nashville in 1870. By the early 1900s, Madisonville was a rail hub, coal mining center, and had a large tobacco market. This continued until the 1960s when manufacturing and service industries came to the area.
Enroll in the Ideal Electrical Vocational School near Madisonville KY
Picking the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrician training program that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers unique options for certification also. Probably The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you select is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Madisonville KY.
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