How to Become an Electrician in Murray Kentucky
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Murray KY. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are so many variables to consider. For example, many students will start by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have found some that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the sole things that should be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your final judgment when selecting an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are available.
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Murray KY
There are several options to get electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Murray KY. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are short explanations of the three most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Kentucky vocational and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to finish and are offered by Kentucky junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Kentucky colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Murray KY can undertake a multitude of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure 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 municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally around four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be obtained in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 3 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you pick not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Murray KY
An alternative that you might have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning might be a more accommodating option for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Commuting costs from Murray KY are also minimized and some of the study materials can be accessed online as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Murray KY region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional factors that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Murray KY program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it 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 complete the course. A low completion rate may suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It may also indicate that the instructors 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 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 can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Murray KY students secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Murray KY area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Murray KY electrical contractor if they can provide some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Murray residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to several of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Murray KY, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Murray KY?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Murray KY area.
Murray, Kentucky
Murray is a home rule-class city[3] in Calloway County, Kentucky, in the United States. It is the seat of Calloway County[4] and the 20th-largest city in Kentucky.[5] The city's population was 17,741 during the 2010 U.S. census,[6] and its micropolitan area's population is 37,191.
The city now known as Murray began as a post office and trading center sometime in the early 1820s. It was at first called Williston in honor of James Willis, an early settler. Later, the name was changed to Pooltown after Robert Pool, a local merchant. The name was changed again to Pleasant Springs before its incorporation on January 17, 1844, when the present name was adopted to honor Rep. John Murray.[7]
Murray was not the first county seat, which was at Wadesboro. Calloway County was then much larger than today. In 1842, however, the state legislature divided the area, creating Marshall County. It was felt that a more centrally located county seat was needed, and as the village of Murray was at the geographic center, it was chosen. A new courthouse was built along with a jail, and the town Murray was laid out on an 80-acre (320,000 m2) plot subdivided into 137 business and residential lots divided by eight streets.[8][9]
Enroll in the Ideal Electrician Tech School near Murray KY
Picking the right electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Each training program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Murray KY.
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