Become Qualified Electrician Homewood AL

How to Choose the Best Electrician Training School near Homewood Alabama

Homewood AL electrician working on circuit boardThe initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Homewood AL. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are a number of factors to examine. For instance, some potential students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their residence. After they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will decide on the one with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the sole qualifications that must be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are accessible.

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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs

Homewood AL electrician on power line poleThere are multiple options to get electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Homewood AL. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs available.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Alabama vocational and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards those who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are offered by Alabama community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Alabama colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria

Homewood AL electrician wiring boxElectricians in Homewood AL can undertake a vast array of tasks, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about four to five years of experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be earned in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails three levels of proficiency:

  • An experience requirement
  • Passing a written exam
  • Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online

Homewood AL student attending electrician school onlineAn option that you may have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning may be a more practical option for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Driving expenses from Homewood AL are also reduced and some of the study materials may be available on line also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Questions to ask Homewood AL electrician schoolsOnce you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Homewood AL area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other variables that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical technical school.

Accreditation.  Numerous electrician vocational schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Homewood AL program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive an excellent education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states require that the electrician training course 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 percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It might also signify that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which can produce 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 trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Homewood AL graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Homewood AL area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Homewood AL electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Homewood residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with some of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Homewood AL, confirm that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Become Qualified Electrician Homewood Alabama

Homewood AL electricians working on power linesChoosing the ideal electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Become Qualified Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Training Schools. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. 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 fulfill your needs. Each program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Homewood AL.

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    Homewood, Alabama

    Homewood is a city in southeastern Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is a suburb of Birmingham, located on the other side of Red Mountain due south of the city center. As of the 2010 census its population was 25,167,[3] and in 2016 the estimated population was 25,613.[4]

    The first settlers of the area which would eventually become Homewood arrived in the early 1800s. The area's population, however, did not grow significantly until Birmingham suffered a major cholera epidemic in 1873 (See Timeline of Birmingham, Alabama).

    Speculators soon began buying up land and developing communities in the countryside surrounding Birmingham. Many of the smaller communities which would eventually become Homewood were developed during this time period, including Rosedale, Grove Park, Edgewood, and Oak Grove.

     

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