Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Alexandria LA 71301

How to Become an Electrician in Alexandria Louisiana

Alexandria LA electrician inspecting circuit panelThe initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Alexandria LA. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are so many points to examine. For instance, many students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found several that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole factors that need to be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your final decision when picking an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are offered.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Alexandria LA

Alexandria LA electrician re-wiring power outletThere are multiple approaches to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Alexandria LA. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the three most typical programs offered.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Louisiana trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degrees involve two years to finish and are offered by Louisiana junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Louisiana colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed before licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements

Alexandria LA electricians working on power linesElectricians in Alexandria LA can undertake a multitude of services, such as testing, installing and replacing 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 municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about four to five years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be acquired in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves 3 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you pick not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Alexandria LA

attending electrician school online in Alexandria LAAn alternative that you might have looked at is selecting an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning may be a more accommodating option for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving costs from Alexandria LA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available online also. All of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Alexandria LA electrician re-wiring circuit panelNow that you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Alexandria LA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical technical school.

Accreditation.  A large number of electrician technical schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Alexandria LA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you acquire a quality education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates.  Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also mean that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to use 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 field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Alexandria LA students secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  A large number of electrician technical programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Alexandria LA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Alexandria LA electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Alexandria home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s important that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Alexandria LA, verify that the schools you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out 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 Alexandria LA?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Alexandria LA area.

Alexandria, Louisiana

Alexandria is the ninth-largest city in the state of Louisiana and is the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States.[3] It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area (population 153,922) which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes. Its neighboring city is Pineville. In 2010, the population was 47,723, an increase of 3 percent from the 2000 census.[4]

Located along the Red River, the city of Alexandria was originally home to a community which supported activities of the adjacent French trader outpost of Post du Rapides. The area developed as an assemblage of traders, Caddo people, and merchants in the agricultural lands bordering the mostly unsettled areas to the north and providing a link from the south to the El Camino Real and then larger settlement of Natchitoches, the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase.

Alexander Fulton, a businessman from Washington County, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, received a land grant from Spain in 1785, and the first organized settlement was made at some point in the 1790s. In 1805, Fulton and business partner Thomas Harris Maddox laid out the town plan and named the town in Fulton's honor. The earliest deed that survives for an Alexandria resident is from June 24, 1805 when a William Cochren, who identifies himself as a "of the Town of Alexandria", sold a tract of land across the Red River to a William Murrey.[5]

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Find the Right Electrical Tech School near Alexandria LA

Choosing the right electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical training that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably the best way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Alexandria LA.

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