How to Become an Electrician in New Albany Mississippi
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near New Albany MS. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are a number of factors to examine. For example, many students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. Once they have identified several that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the only things that must be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate decision when picking an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are accessible.
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near New Albany MS
There are several options to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near New Albany MS. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the three most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Mississippi vocational and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are provided by Mississippi junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Mississippi colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed prior to licensing. Therefore, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in New Albany MS can carry out a wide range of services, including testing, installing and replacing 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 be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically about four to five years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be earned in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails 3 levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online in New Albany MS
An alternative that you may have looked at is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning can be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Travelling expenses from New Albany MS are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the New Albany MS area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional factors that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the New Albany MS school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you obtain a superior education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It might also indicate that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help New Albany MS graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with New Albany MS area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local New Albany MS electrical company if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your New Albany home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near New Albany MS, check that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near New Albany MS?
Following is a little bit of background information about the New Albany MS area.
New Albany, Mississippi
New Albany is a city in Union County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 8,526 at the 2010 census. New Albany is the county seat of Union County.[2] New Albany was first organized in 1840 at the site of a grist mill and saw mill on the Tallahatchie River and was developed as a river port. New Albany is the birthplace of author William Faulkner as well as Eli Whiteside and Bettie Wilson and the adopted home of Morris Futorian, father of the Northeast Mississippi furniture industry. As of 2010 New Albany has a population of 8,526 and is known for its education system, well-educated labor force and strong work ethic. The city houses modern factories, robust neighborhoods and vibrant shopping centers, while at the same time preserving its historic downtown area.
Organized in 1840 at the site of a grist mill and a saw mill on the Tallahatchie River near the intersection of two historic Chickasaw Indian trade trails, the town developed as a river port and as a regional center for agriculture and commerce. The Civil War interrupted this progress, however, as Union troops swept through the city and burned all but a few buildings.
Union County was formed from parts of neighboring Lee, Pontotoc, and Tippah Counties in 1870, with New Albany designated as county seat. The city’s new role as a center of government led to renewed economic activity. Citizens’ efforts in the late 1880s to secure a railroad through New Albany were rewarded with two railroads connecting the community to points north, south, east and west. Depot clerk for one of the railroads was the father of William Faulkner. Born in 1897 in a single-story clapboard house, Faulkner went on to write 19 novels and 75 short stories, winning the coveted Nobel Prize and the Pulitzer Prize twice for his work.
Find the Ideal Electrician Technical School near New Albany MS
Picking the ideal electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to determine 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 ideal way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in New Albany MS.
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