How to Become an Electrician in Mount Vernon Kentucky
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Mount Vernon KY. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are so many points to examine. For instance, many prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the sole factors that must be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are accessible.
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs near Mount Vernon KY
There are several approaches to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Mount Vernon KY. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Kentucky technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are provided by Kentucky community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Kentucky institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Mount Vernon KY can carry out a vast array of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails three 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 crucial that the electrician trade school that you select 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 Online Schools in Mount Vernon KY
A possibility that you may have contemplated is choosing an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning may be a more practical choice for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Driving costs from Mount Vernon KY are also reduced and some of the study materials can be available online also. All of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
When you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Mount Vernon KY region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Mount Vernon KY program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, it can help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. 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 list of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Mount Vernon KY grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Mount Vernon KY area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Mount Vernon KY electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Mount Vernon residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Mount Vernon KY, check that the schools you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Mount Vernon KY?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Mount Vernon KY area.
Mount Vernon, Kentucky
Mount Vernon is a home rule-class city[3] at the intersection of U.S. Routes 25 and 150 in Rockcastle County, Kentucky, in the United States. It is the seat of its county. The population was 2,477 at the time of the 2010 U.S. census. Mount Vernon is part of the Richmond-Berea micropolitan area.
The area was first settled in 1790 around a feature called Spout Springs. Much of the area was originally swampland. The settlement was named for George Washington's home, Mount Vernon. The Wilderness Road arrived in 1792, and the town was the principal settlement when Rockcastle Co. was created in 1810.
In 1883, an L&N spur was built through the town, connecting it by rail to Louisville and Knoxville. The county's first newspaper, the Mount Vernon Signal, began publication in 1887. Although still a largely rural town and county, the construction of I-75 in the 1970s has drawn some industry to the area, and the population has increased about 50% from 1,639 in 1970.
Enroll in the Right Electrical Technical School near Mount Vernon KY
Picking the right electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each training program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Mount Vernon KY.
Other Cool Cities in Kentucky
Business Results 1 - 10 of 3
1 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
3 Reviews 