How to Pick the Best Electrician Technical School near Auburn Georgia
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Auburn GA. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are a number of points to consider. For instance, some prospective students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have found some that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are important, 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 other qualifications should influence your final decision when picking an electrician school. We will discuss 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 offered.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are three general approaches to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Auburn GA. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Often these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are short summaries of the three most typical programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Georgia vocational and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards those who wish to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take 2 years to finish and are offered by Georgia junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Georgia institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out before licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Auburn GA can undertake a wide range of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be obtained in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases includes 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you pick not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools
An option that you might have considered is choosing an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning might be a more accommodating alternative for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving expenses from Auburn GA are also lessened and some of the study materials may be available online also. All of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Once you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Auburn GA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other variables that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Auburn GA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain an excellent education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify 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 finish the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It might also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Auburn GA students acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Auburn GA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Auburn GA electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Auburn residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Auburn GA, confirm that the schools you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Certified Electrician Training Auburn Georgia
Picking the right electrician training program 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 Certified Electrician Training and wanting more information on the topic How Many Years Of School To Become An Electrician. But as we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every 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 in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every training program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Auburn GA.
More Electric Locations in Georgia
Auburn, Georgia
Auburn is located in western Barrow County at 34°1′0″N 83°49′55″W / 34.01667°N 83.83194°W / 34.01667; -83.83194 (34.016692, -83.831869).[5] It is 42 miles (68 km) northeast of downtown Atlanta and 27 miles (43 km) west of Athens.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.5 square miles (16.8 km2), of which 6.4 square miles (16.7 km2) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.07 km2), or 0.39%, is water.[2]
As of 2010 Auburn had a population of 6,887. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 85.3% white, 4.9% black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 4.1% Asian, 3.3% from some other race and 2.1% reporting two or more races. 7.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.[7]
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