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How to Become an Electrician in Slidell Louisiana

Slidell LA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Slidell LA. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are a number of points to examine. For instance, many prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have identified some that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though location and cost are significant, they are not the only qualifications that must be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs near Slidell LA

Slidell LA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to receive electrician training in a trade or technical school near Slidell LA. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are brief summaries of the 3 most typical programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Louisiana vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve two years to complete and are offered by Louisiana community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Louisiana colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be performed before licensing. Because of that, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Criteria

Slidell LA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Slidell LA can carry out a vast array of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around four to five years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be acquired in various specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails three 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes in Slidell LA

attending electrician school online in Slidell LA An alternative that you might have looked at is selecting an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools have become more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning can be a more accommodating choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting costs from Slidell LA are also minimized and some of the study materials may be available online also. All of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Slidell LA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Slidell LA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, 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 additional factors that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Slidell LA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you acquire a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It might also suggest that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may mean more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Slidell 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 within their network of electrical businesses or trade unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Slidell LA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed 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 specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Slidell LA electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Slidell home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with several of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Slidell LA, verify that the schools you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Slidell LA?

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

Slidell, Louisiana

Slidell /slaɪˈdɛl/ is a city on the northeast shore of Lake Pontchartrain in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 27,068 at the 2010 census.[3] Greater Slidell has a population of about 90,000.[4] It is part of the New Orleans−Metairie−Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area.

One of the earlier settlers to the area was John William Gause. Along with a younger brother, Wesley Coke Asbury Gause, Judge Wingate, and several others, he left Shallotte, North Carolina, on February 18, and arrived at Pearlington, Mississippi, on April 14, 1836. Wesley and his family remained there, while John and family crossed the Pearl River and built a log cabin on the west bank, a little further south. He then began a lumber mill in the fledgling town later known as Slidell. His traveling back and forth from lumber yard to home created a road known today as Gause Boulevard, a major east/west street in the town. The lumber yard was where Gause Boulevard crosses the railroad track. The log cabin was built at the east end of the road, just a few yards from the river. The house stood until the late 1990s, and a small family burial plot still remains where John is buried between his two wives, Lydia Russ and Johanna Frederica VanHeemskerk.

Slidell was founded on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain in 1882 and 1883 during construction of the New Orleans and Northeastern Railroad (N.O.N.E.).[5] The N.O.N.E. line connected New Orleans to Meridian, Mississippi. The town was named in honor of American politician and Confederate ambassador to France John Slidell, father-in-law of real estate developer Baron Frederic Emile d'Erlanger, and officially chartered by the Louisiana State Legislature in 1888.[5]

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Choose the Ideal Electrical Tech School near Slidell LA

Selecting the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have addressed 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 electrical tech school that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each program provides different options for certification also. Probably The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you decide on is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Slidell LA.