How to Become an Electrician in Minden Louisiana
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Minden LA. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are a number of factors to consider. For instance, some students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have located a few that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that must be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are available.
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Minden LA
There are three general approaches to get electrician training in a trade or technical school near Minden LA. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are brief explanations of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Louisiana vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are provided by Louisiana junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Louisiana colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines
Electricians in Minden LA can carry out a wide range of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly around four to five years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional 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 various specialties, including 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes in Minden LA
An option that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, internet learning can be a more convenient choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Commuting expenses from Minden LA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available online as well. Each of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Minden LA area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other factors that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Minden LA program is 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 obtain a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may result in 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 additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Minden LA grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician trade programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Minden LA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form 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 state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Minden LA electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Minden home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Minden LA, check that the programs you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, find 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 Minden LA?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Minden LA area.
Minden, Louisiana
Minden is a small city in and the parish seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, United States.[3] It is located twenty-eight miles (45 km) east of Shreveport in Caddo Parish. The population has been relatively stable since 1960, when it was 12,786. Minden is 51.7 percent African American.[4]
Minden is part of the larger Shreveport – Bossier City metropolitan area. It is a regional trade center for the neighboring parishes of Bienville and Claiborne, from which Webster Parish was carved in 1871.
Minden has possessed a United States post office since 1839.[5] The current postal building, a 10,000-square-foot structure at 111 South Monroe Street, was completed under a $285,000 contract awarded in 1959 to McInnis Construction Company of Minden.[6]
Select the Ideal Electrician Trade School near Minden LA
Picking the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician training that you are reviewing includes a lot 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 context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every program provides unique options for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the 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, hard work and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Minden LA.
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