Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Old Hickory TN 37138

How to Become an Electrician in Old Hickory Tennessee

Old Hickory TN electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Old Hickory TN. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are a number of factors to examine. For example, many potential students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have located several that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that need to be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your final decision when selecting an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are available.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near Old Hickory TN

Old Hickory TN electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general options to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Old Hickory TN. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn 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 made available together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most typical programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Tennessee vocational and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take two years to finish and are offered by Tennessee junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Tennessee institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements

Old Hickory TN electricians working on power lines Electricians in Old Hickory TN can undertake a wide range of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally around four to five years of prior experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually 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 distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be earned in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you select not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Old Hickory TN

attending electrician school online in Old Hickory TN An alternative that you may have contemplated is choosing an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, internet learning may be a more practical choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Travelling expenses from Old Hickory TN are also reduced and some of the study materials can be accessed on line as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Old Hickory TN electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Old Hickory TN region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional factors that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before selecting an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Old Hickory TN school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved 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 suggest that the teachers were not qualified 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 broader directory of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to employ 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 industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Old Hickory TN students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Old Hickory TN area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Old Hickory TN electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Old Hickory home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger 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. Speak with a few of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Old Hickory TN, verify that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Old Hickory TN?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Old Hickory TN area.

Old Hickory, Tennessee

This area is located in the Hadley Bend section of eastern Davidson County. The area is probably best known for being a former company town as the site of a large DuPont plant. Many of the houses in Old Hickory were built to house DuPont employees and supervisors in the early days of the factory's existence.[1]

Old Hickory is bordered by the Cumberland River on the north and west, Old Hickory Lake to the east, and the former city of Lakewood to the south. To the north of the area is also the location of Old Hickory Lock and Dam. The main street through the area is Old Hickory Boulevard (Tennessee State Route 45).

The area today is the site of a country club, large golf course, city park, a Chamber of Commerce, and the DuPont plant, which has been mostly shut down but continues to employ a few hundred workers. The Nashville National Weather Service Forecast Office is located just to the southeast in nearby Wilson County, but it has an Old Hickory mailing address.

The location could not be found.

Select the Right Electrician Technical School near Old Hickory TN

Choosing the best electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrician training program that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary 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 also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Old Hickory TN.