Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Shelbyville KY 40065

How to Become an Electrician in Shelbyville Kentucky

Shelbyville KY electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Shelbyville KY. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are so many factors to examine. For instance, some students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have identified several that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the only things that need to be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when choosing an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are available.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Shelbyville KY

Shelbyville KY electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general approaches to get electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Shelbyville KY. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Kentucky trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take two years to finish and are offered by Kentucky junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Kentucky colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be carried out prior to licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Guidelines

Shelbyville KY electricians working on power lines Electricians in Shelbyville KY can perform a wide range of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually about four to five years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually test 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 offered differ by state and can be acquired in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails 3 levels of competency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you select not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Programs in Shelbyville KY

attending electrician school online in Shelbyville KY An option that you may have looked at is choosing an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools have become more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning can be a more accommodating alternative for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving costs from Shelbyville KY are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be accessed on line also. All of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Shelbyville KY electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Shelbyville KY region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The first two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess before selecting an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational 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 pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Shelbyville KY school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire an excellent education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It could also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize 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 trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Shelbyville KY students acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught together 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 electrical businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Shelbyville KY area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Shelbyville KY electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Shelbyville residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to some of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Shelbyville KY, verify that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, 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 Shelbyville KY?

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

Shelbyville, Kentucky

The town of Shelbyville was established in October 1792 at the first meeting of the Shelby County Court after local landowner William Shannon agreed to lay off 50 acres (20 ha) of his property for the community and provide 1 acre free for public buildings.[9] The grant ensured that Shelbyville rather than nearby Squire Boone's Station would become the seat of Shelby County.[4] The agricultural town was located on the west bank of Clear Creek at its confluence with Mulberry Creek and near a route between Louisville and Frankfort. The town required new residents to construct a 1½-story log cabin with a stone chimney; by 1795, there were forty of these and, by 1800, there were 262 residents. New lots were platted in 1803, 1815, and 1816.[9]

The Shelbyville Academy was established in 1798 at Eighth and Washington; it became Shelby College and moved to College Street in 1836,[9] affiliated with the Episcopal Church in 1841,[10] changed its name to St. James College after the Civil War, and closed in 1871, replaced by a public elementary school. Science Hill Female Academy was established in 1825 on Washington Street; it functioned as a college preparatory school for young women throughout the South prior to closing in 1939 at the end of the Great Depression. The Shelbyville Female Seminary was established in 1839 and moved to its longtime residence at Seventh and Main in 1846; it became the Shelbyville Female Institute in 1849, the Presbyterian Stuart's Female College in 1851, the Shelbyville Female College in 1868, and the Baptist Shelbyville College from 1890 until its closure in 1912.[9]

The Louisville and Shelbyville Turnpike was completed in the 1830s, following a ridgeline path between the two sites dating back to the Indians.[11] After the Louisville and Frankfort Railroad was constructed near the road in present-day Cherokee Gardens in 1849, the turnpike company rerouted and constructed a new road nearby (originally known as the "Shelbyville Branch", now Lexington Avenue in Louisville) which was completed in 1851.[12]

The location could not be found.

Pick the Right Electrical Trade School near Shelbyville KY

Selecting the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Shelbyville KY.