Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Shreveport LA 71101

How to Become an Electrician in Shreveport Louisiana

Shreveport LA electrician inspecting circuit panelThe initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Shreveport LA. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are a number of variables to evaluate. For instance, many students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have found several that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Even though location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that must be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Shreveport LA

Shreveport LA electrician re-wiring power outletThere are three general ways to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Shreveport LA. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the three most prevalent programs available.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Louisiana technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who wish to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degree Programs take two years to finish and are provided by Louisiana junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Louisiana institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out before licensing. Therefore, many students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites

Shreveport LA electricians working on power linesElectricians in Shreveport LA can perform a multitude of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be acquired in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually 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 imperative that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Shreveport LA

attending electrician school online in Shreveport LAAn alternative that you may have looked at is choosing an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, internet learning might be a more convenient option for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Travelling expenses from Shreveport LA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online 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 Vocational Schools

Shreveport LA electrician re-wiring circuit panelWhen you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Shreveport LA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are other factors that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical trade school.

Accreditation.  A large number of electrician technical programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain 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 certain that the Shreveport LA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it can help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify 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 program. A low completion rate may signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It could also signify that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may 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 an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Shreveport LA graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Most electrician technical programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Shreveport LA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Shreveport LA electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Shreveport residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s important that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with some of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Verify that the class schedules for the schools 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 Shreveport LA, verify that the programs you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Shreveport LA?

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

Shreveport, Louisiana

Shreveport (/ˈʃriːvpɔːrt/ SHREEV-port) is the third-largest city in the state of Louisiana and the 122nd-largest city in the United States. It is the seat of Caddo Parish[4] and extends along the west bank of the Red River (most notably at Wright Island, the Charles and Marie Hamel Memorial Park, and Bagley Island) into neighboring Bossier Parish. Shreveport and Bossier City are separated by the Red River.

The population of Shreveport was 199,311 as of the 2010 U.S. Census.[5] The Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area had a population exceeding 441,000 in 2010, and has remained the third most-populous metropolitan area in Louisiana and 111th in the United States, according to the United States Census Bureau.[6][7]

Shreveport was founded in 1836 by the Shreve Town Company, a corporation established to develop a town at the juncture of the newly navigable Red River and the Texas Trail, an overland route into the newly independent Republic of Texas. Prior to Texas becoming independent, this trail entered Mexico.[8] The city grew throughout the 20th century and, after the discovery of oil in Louisiana, became a national center for the oil industry. Standard Oil of Louisiana (absorbed by Standard Oil of New Jersey and now part of ExxonMobil) and United Gas Corporation (now part of Pennzoil) were headquartered in the city.

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Select the Right Electrician Technical School near Shreveport LA

Choosing the right electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Shreveport LA.

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