How to Pick the Best Electrician Training School near Fort Myers Florida
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Fort Myers FL. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to examine. For example, many potential students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their residence. When they have found some that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the only things that must be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are available.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs
There are several options to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Fort Myers FL. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are brief explanations of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Florida vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards those who would like to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are offered by Florida community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Florida institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Fort Myers FL can undertake a multitude of functions, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around four to five years of experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you select not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Training Classes Online
An option that you may have looked at is choosing an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, internet learning might be a more accommodating alternative for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Commuting expenses from Fort Myers FL are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be available on line as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Once you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Fort Myers FL region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other variables that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical 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. Confirm that the Fort Myers FL program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also mean that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize 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 assist Fort Myers FL graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught together 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 electrician businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Fort Myers FL area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Fort Myers FL electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Fort Myers home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs 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 Fort Myers FL, verify that the schools you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Electrician Schools Online Fort Myers Florida
Selecting the right electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Schools Online and wanting more information on the topic Train To Be An Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Each training program offers unique options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Fort Myers FL.
More Electric Locations in Florida
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers or Ft. Myers, is the county seat[6] and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. It has grown rapidly in recent years. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 62,298 and in 2017 was estimated at 79,943.[4][7]
Fort Myers is a gateway to the Southwest Florida region and a major tourist destination within Florida. The winter estates of Thomas Edison ("Seminole Lodge") and Henry Ford ("The Mangoes") are major attractions.[8] The city is named after Colonel Abraham Myers.[9][10]
During the Second Seminole War, between 1835 and 1842, the US Army operated Fort Dulany at Punta Rassa, at the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River. When a hurricane destroyed Fort Dulany in October 1841, army operations were moved up the Caloosahatchee River to a site named Fort Harvie.[11][12] Fort Harvie was abandoned in 1842, as the Second Seminole War wound down. After a white trader was killed by Seminoles on the Peace River in 1849, the Army returned to the Caloosahatchee River in 1850. The new Fort Myers was built on the burned ruins of Fort Harvie.[13] The fort was named for Brevet Colonel Abraham Charles Myers, quartermaster for the Army's Department of Florida. It covered about 139 acres (56 ha), and soon had 57 buildings, including a two-story blockhouse that was pictured in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, and a 1,000-foot-long (300 m) wharf at which ships could dock. Irvin Solomon notes that Fort Myers was described "as 'one of the finest and largest' forts of the Seminole Wars". It was abandoned in 1858, at the end of the Third Seminole War.[14]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 69
9 Reviews 
75 Reviews 
14 Reviews 
4 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
4 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
9 Reviews 
2 Reviews 