Electrical School Online Fairbanks AK

How to Select the Best Electrician Technical School near Fairbanks Alaska

Fairbanks AK electrician working on circuit boardThe first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Fairbanks AK. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are a number of points to evaluate. For instance, many students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. When they have identified several that are within driving range, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole factors that should be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are offered.

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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options

Fairbanks AK electrician on power line poleThere are multiple approaches to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Fairbanks AK. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are short explanations of the three most prevalent programs offered.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Alaska technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are provided by Alaska junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Alaska colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be performed before licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Criteria

Fairbanks AK electrician wiring boxElectricians in Fairbanks AK can carry out a vast array of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases includes 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 important that the electrician tech school that you pick not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Schools Online

Fairbanks AK student attending electrician school onlineAn alternative that you may have looked at is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning may be a more accommodating option for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Commuting expenses from Fairbanks AK are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Questions to ask Fairbanks AK electrician schoolsOnce you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Fairbanks AK region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional variables that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before choosing an electrical technical school.

Accreditation.  A large number of electrician trade schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Fairbanks AK school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates.  Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It may also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may result in 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 industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Fairbanks AK students secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  A large number of electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Fairbanks AK area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Fairbanks AK electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Fairbanks residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one 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 see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the instructors 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 reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Fairbanks AK, verify that the programs you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.

Electrical School Online Fairbanks Alaska

Fairbanks AK electricians working on power linesSelecting the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical School Online and wanting more information on the topic Industrial Electrician Courses. But as we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare among 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 training. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Fairbanks AK.

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    Fairbanks, Alaska

    Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska. 2016 estimates put the population of the city proper at 32,751, and the population of the Fairbanks North Star Borough at 97,121,[6] making it the second most populous metropolitan area in Alaska (after Anchorage). The Metropolitan Statistical Area encompasses all of the Fairbanks North Star Borough and is the northernmost Metropolitan Statistical Area in the United States, located 196 driving miles (or 140 air miles) south of the Arctic Circle. Fairbanks is home to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the founding campus of the University of Alaska system.

    Though, as of yet, there is not a known permanent Alaska Native settlement at the site of Fairbanks, Athabascan peoples have used the area for thousands of years. An archaeological site excavated on the grounds of the University of Alaska Fairbanks uncovered a Native camp about 3,500 years old, with older remains found at deeper levels.[7] From evidence gathered at the site, archaeologists surmise that Native activities in the area were limited to seasonal hunting and fishing as fridge temperatures precluded berry gathering .[8] In addition, archeological sites on the grounds of nearby Fort Wainwright date back well over 10,000 years.[9] Arrowheads excavated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks site matched similar items found in Asia, providing some of the first evidence that humans arrived in North America via the Bering Strait land bridge in deep antiquity.[7]

    Captain E. T. Barnette founded Fairbanks in August 1901 while headed to Tanacross (or Tanana Crossing, where the Valdez–Eagle trail crossed the Tanana River), where he intended to set up a trading post. The steamboat on which Barnette was a passenger, the Lavelle Young, ran aground while attempting to negotiate shallow water. Barnette, along with his party and supplies, were deposited along the banks of the Chena River 7 miles (11 km) upstream from its confluence with the Tanana River. The sight of smoke from the steamer's engines caught the attention of gold prospectors working in the hills to the north, most notably an Italian immigrant named Felice Pedroni (better known as Felix Pedro) and his partner Tom Gilmore. The two met Barnette where he disembarked and convinced him of the potential of the area. Barnette set up his trading post at the site, still intending to eventually make it to Tanacross.[10] Teams of gold prospectors soon congregated in and around the newly founded Fairbanks; they built drift mines, dredges, and lode mines in addition to panning and sluicing.[11]

     

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