Find Electrician Schools Near Me in New Orleans LA 70112

How to Become an Electrician in New Orleans Louisiana

New Orleans LA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near New Orleans LA. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are a number of variables to examine. For example, some potential students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will decide on the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that must be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your final judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are offered.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs near New Orleans LA

New Orleans LA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple ways to get electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near New Orleans LA. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the three most common programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Louisiana trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards those who would like to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve two years to complete and are provided by Louisiana community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Louisiana colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Guidelines

New Orleans LA electricians working on power lines Electricians in New Orleans LA can perform a vast array of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally 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 understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be earned in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process 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 crucial that the electrician tech school that you select not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Programs in New Orleans LA

attending electrician school online in New Orleans LA An alternative that you might have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning can be a more accommodating choice for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Travelling expenses from New Orleans LA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be accessed on line also. All of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

New Orleans LA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the New Orleans LA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional variables that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Many electrician technical programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the New Orleans 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 guarantee that you acquire a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It may also signify that the instructors 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 more extensive directory of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist New Orleans LA grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician trade programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with New Orleans LA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes job 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 on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local New Orleans LA electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your New Orleans residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near New Orleans LA, confirm that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, check out 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 New Orleans LA?

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

New Orleans

New Orleans (/ˈɔːrl(i)ənz, ɔːrˈliːnz/,[3][4]locally /ˈnɔːrlənz/; French: La Nouvelle-Orléans [la nuvɛlɔʁleɑ̃] ( listen)) is a consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of Louisiana. With an estimated population of 393,292 in 2017,[5] it is the most populous city in Louisiana. A major port, New Orleans is considered an economic and commercial hub for the broader Gulf Coast region of the United States.

New Orleans is world-renowned for its distinct music, Creole cuisine, unique dialect, and its annual celebrations and festivals, most notably Mardi Gras. The historic heart of the city is the French Quarter, known for its French and Spanish Creole architecture and vibrant nightlife along Bourbon Street. The city has been described as the "most unique"[6] in the United States,[7][8][9][10][11] owing in large part to its cross-cultural and multilingual heritage.[12] Founded in 1718 by French colonists, New Orleans was once the territorial capital of French Louisiana before being traded to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. New Orleans was once the third-most populous city in the United States,[13] and it was the largest city in the American South from the Antebellum era until after World War II. The city's location and low elevation have historically made it very vulnerable to flooding, leading to the installation of a complex system of levees and drainage pumps.[14] New Orleans was severely affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, flooding over 80% of the city and causing a population decline of over 50%.[15] Since Katrina, the city has been the site of major redevelopment efforts that have led to a rebound in the city's population, although concerns about gentrification and displacement have arose.[16]

The city and Orleans Parish (French: paroisse d'Orléans) are coterminous.[17] As of 2017, Orleans Parish is the third most-populous parish in Louisiana, behind East Baton Rouge Parish and neighboring Jefferson Parish.[18] The city and parish are bounded by St. Tammany Parish and Lake Pontchartrain to the north, St. Bernard Parish and Lake Borgne to the east, Plaquemines Parish to the south, and Jefferson Parish to the south and west.

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Find the Right Electrical Trade School near New Orleans LA

Picking the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare between 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 should be smaller in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in New Orleans LA.