How to Choose the Best Electrician Technical School near Lawtey Florida
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Lawtey FL. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are a number of points to consider. For example, many potential students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. When they have found a few that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole factors that should be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when picking an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are three general options to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Lawtey FL. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most typical programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Florida technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards students who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take two years to complete and are offered by Florida junior or community colleges, usually 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 earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Florida colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Lawtey FL can perform a vast array of tasks, 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 be licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically about four to five years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be earned in various specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 3 levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Programs Online
An option that you may have contemplated is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more accommodating option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Commuting costs from Lawtey FL are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Lawtey FL area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional factors that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Lawtey FL school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Also, many 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It could also signify that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Lawtey FL graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician training programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Lawtey FL area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Lawtey FL electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Lawtey home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to several of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Lawtey FL, confirm that the programs you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.
Schools To Become An Electrician Lawtey Florida
Selecting the right electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Schools To Become An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Trade School Online. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician training program that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every program offers unique options for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Lawtey FL.
More Electric Locations in Florida
Lawtey, Florida
The city has received national attention and earned the dubious distinction of being one of only two official speed traps designated by the American Automobile Association (the other being Waldo a few miles to the south). However, the label was removed by AAA in August 2018 after reforms by current police chief Shane Bennett. [6]
Lawtey is located in northern Bradford County at 30°02′45″N 82°04′20″W / 30.045804°N 82.072127°W / 30.045804; -82.072127.[7] It is 7 miles (11 km) north of the county seat, Starke, by U.S. Route 301. To the north it is 18 miles (29 km) to Interstate 10 at the town of Baldwin.
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 656 people, 259 households, and 182 families residing in the city. The population density was 476.8 people per square mile (183.5/km²). There were 295 housing units at an average density of 214.4 per square mile (82.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.79% White, 32.16% African American, 1.22% Native American, 0.46% from other races, and 1.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.68% of the population.
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