How to Pick the Best Electrician Tech School near Glendale Arizona
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Glendale AZ. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are a number of variables to examine. For example, many prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have found several that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the only factors that should be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your final judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are available.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are multiple ways to get electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Glendale AZ. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Arizona vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are offered by Arizona junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Arizona institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Glendale AZ can undertake a multitude of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be acquired in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you select not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Programs
An option that you may have considered is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning may be a more practical option for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Commuting expenses from Glendale AZ are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be accessed on line also. All of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Now that you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Glendale AZ region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria 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 online degree, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Glendale AZ program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you get a quality education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, a number of states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It may also signify that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which can 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 field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Glendale AZ graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Glendale AZ area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Glendale AZ electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Glendale home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Glendale AZ, verify that the programs you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.
Electrical Technician Degree Glendale Arizona
Selecting the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Technician Degree and wanting more information on the topic Become Qualified Electrician. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician training that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every training program offers different options for certification as well. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Glendale AZ.
More Electric Locations in Arizona
Glendale, Arizona
Glendale /ˈɡlɛndeɪl/ is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, located about nine miles (14 km) northwest from Downtown Phoenix. According to the 2017 U.S. Census estimates, the population of the city is 246,709.[3]
In the late 1800s what is now known as Glendale, Arizona, was all desert. William John Murphy, a native of New Hartford, New York, who resided in the town of Flagstaff in what was then known as the territory of Arizona, was in charge of building a 40-mile-long (64 km) Arizona Canal from Granite Reef to New River for the Arizona Canal Company. In 1885, he completed the canal, which would bring water to the desert land.[5] Murphy was deep in debt, since he had agreed to be paid in Arizona Canal Company stock and bonds and land instead of cash.[6]
In 1887, Murphy formed the Arizona Improvement Company. His objective was to sell the land and water rights south of the canal. Murphy had to raise capital from out of state sources in order to meet payroll and construction expenses.[6] Murphy decided to refer to this land as "Glendale". In order to develop and interest potential investors and settlers in this new town, Murphy decided to provide a better way of access from Phoenix to Glendale and ending in the town of Peoria by building an 18-mile-long (29 km) diagonal road which he named Grand Avenue.
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