Find Electrician Schools Near Me in La Crosse WI 54601

How to Become an Electrician in La Crosse Wisconsin

La Crosse WI electrician inspecting circuit panelThe initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near La Crosse WI. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are so many variables to examine. For instance, many prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found several that are within commuting distance, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the only things that must be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are available.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near La Crosse WI

La Crosse WI electrician re-wiring power outletThere are several approaches to receive electrician training in a trade or technical school near La Crosse WI. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the 3 most typical programs available.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Wisconsin trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are offered by Wisconsin community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Wisconsin colleges, but are less preferred 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. Therefore, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria

La Crosse WI electricians working on power linesElectricians in La Crosse WI can perform a multitude of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around four to five years of prior experience is needed 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 method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself 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 includes 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you pick not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might need to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Programs Online in La Crosse WI

attending electrician school online in La Crosse WIA possibility that you might have contemplated is choosing an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, internet learning can be a more convenient choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving costs from La Crosse WI are also minimized and some of the study materials can be available on line also. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

La Crosse WI electrician re-wiring circuit panelOnce you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the La Crosse WI region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical technical school.

Accreditation.  A large number of electrician trade programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the La Crosse WI program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire an excellent education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it 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 percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It may also suggest 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 list of graduates, 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 validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help La Crosse WI grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Numerous 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 labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with La Crosse WI area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. 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 La Crosse WI electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your La Crosse home. Remember that if you decide to attend 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 desirable that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult 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 to some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near La Crosse WI, verify that the schools you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near La Crosse WI?

Following is a little bit of background information about the La Crosse WI area.

La Crosse, Wisconsin

The city's estimated population in 2016 was 52,109.[7] The city forms the core of and is the principal city in the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of La Crosse County and Houston County, Minnesota, with a combined population of 135,298.[8] La Crosse is home to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Viterbo University, and Western Technical College. A regional technology and medical hub, La Crosse has received high rankings from some magazines in health, well-being, quality of life, and education.[6][9][10][11]

The first Europeans to see the site of La Crosse were French fur traders who traveled the Mississippi River in the late 17th century. There is no written record of any visit to the site until 1805, when Lt. Zebulon Pike mounted an expedition up the Mississippi River for the United States. Pike recorded the location's name as "Prairie La Crosse." The name originated from the game with sticks that resembled a bishop's crozier or la crosse in French, which was played by Native Americans there.[12][13]

The first white settlement at La Crosse occurred in 1841 when Nathan Myrick, a New York native, moved to the village at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin to work in the fur trade. Myrick was disappointed to find that because many fur traders were already well-entrenched there, there were no openings for him in the trade. As a result, he decided to establish a trading post upriver at the then still unsettled site of Prairie La Crosse. In 1841, he built a temporary trading post on Barron Island (now called Pettibone Park), which lies just west of La Crosse's present downtown. The following year, Myrick relocated the post to the mainland prairie, partnering with H. J. B. Miller to run the outfit.[14]

The location could not be found.

Enroll in the Ideal Electrical Tech School near La Crosse WI

Choosing the ideal electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour 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, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in La Crosse WI.

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