Delgado Spotlight: Electrician Programs
I feel like this looks like one of those bomb-defusing scenes. Don’t cut that wire!!
Electricians are responsible for maintaining the power that helps run heating, cooling, and lighting EVERYWHERE. That’s why at Delgado Community College there are three different specializations when studying to become an electrician: Commercial, Residential, and Small Industrial.
Each program’s description includes: “Building and equipping electrical power generating plants, installation and servicing of electrical systems for...” Then, this is where they differ:
Commercial = for stores, homes, and office buildings
Residential = for homes, specifically, heating, lighting, cooling
Small Industrial = for factories, workshops, or any other industrial setting that use electrical energy for heating, lighting, cooling
It takes 9 months (= 2 semesters) to complete the Commercial or Residential Electrician program and 13.5 months to complete the Small Industrial Electrician program (that’s one extra semester = 3 months).
Each program focuses on hands-on training as well as theory in National Electrical Code which prepares students for the national licensure exam. With each program, a student can receive the National Center for Construction and Education Research (NCCER) Core and Electrical Level 1 certification. The more programs you complete, the high level certification you earn, ranging from Level 1-4. In 6 semesters you can complete all three programs, granting you expertise enough to shock employers (see what I did there?).
The average salary for an electrician in Louisiana is $24.43 per hour/ $50,810 per year according to DCC. A career as an electrician receives a 5-stars from LA Star Rating and the employment is expected to grow 19% from 2016 to 2024.
Wanna check out other opportunities in the Skilled Trades? Go here.