How to Become an Electrician in Benton Louisiana
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Benton LA. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are a number of variables to examine. For example, some potential students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. Once they have located several that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the only qualifications that need to be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are offered.
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Benton LA
There are several approaches to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Benton LA. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are short explanations of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Louisiana 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 get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require two years to complete and are provided by Louisiana community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Louisiana colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Benton LA can perform a vast array of tasks, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally around 4 to 5 years of experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be acquired in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you select not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs in Benton LA
A possibility that you might have looked at is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning may be a more practical option for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Commuting expenses from Benton LA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
When you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Benton LA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are other factors that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research prior to choosing an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have acquired 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 an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Benton LA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you acquire an excellent education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states mandate 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate could suggest that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also important 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 utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Benton LA grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Benton LA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art 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 expecting. If not, ask a local Benton LA electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Benton residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Benton LA, verify that the schools you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Benton LA?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Benton LA area.
Benton, Louisiana
Benton is a town in and the parish seat of Bossier Parish, in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 2,035 at the 2000 census but declined to 1,948 in 2010.[3] The town is named for 19th century U.S. Senator Thomas Hart Benton, a Democrat from Missouri and an ally of U.S. President Andrew Jackson.[4]
The larger Bossier City is located south of Benton. In Benton Square downtown near the Bossier Parish School Board office, the town maintains several historical buildings, including primitive cabins, a one-room schoolhouse museum, and the boyhood home of William Clark Hughes, who was the Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1926 to 1928.
On April 3, 1999, a powerful F4-rated tornado roared through portions of the town killing six people and injuring 90. A mobile home park located south of town and homes near the Palmetto Country Club were devastated. Neighborhoods affected included Haymeadow Trailer Park, Palmetto Park/Palmetto Place (adjacent to the country club), Bay Hills, Woodlake South, Twin Lake Community, and many other newer lakefront homes located around Cypress Lake. The population of Benton lakefront area nearly doubled between 2004 and 2008.[5]
Choose the Right Electrician Vocational School near Benton LA
Selecting the ideal electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. As we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every program provides unique options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Benton LA.
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