How to Find the Best Electrician Trade School near Columbus Georgia
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Columbus GA. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many variables to examine. For example, some students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have found a few that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant, they are not the sole qualifications 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 qualifiers should help mold your final judgment when picking an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are offered.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs
There are three general ways to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Columbus GA. You may enroll in 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 first three options. In many cases these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Georgia vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who would like to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take two years to complete and are provided by Georgia community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Georgia colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements
Electricians in Columbus GA can undertake a multitude of services, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be acquired in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails 3 levels of competency:
- 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 crucial that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs
An option that you may have contemplated is selecting an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more accommodating choice for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting costs from Columbus GA are also lessened and some of the study materials can be available online also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Now that you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Columbus GA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Columbus GA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you acquire a quality education, it may assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved 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 of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It could also signify that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Columbus GA graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical 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 referring partnerships with Columbus GA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Columbus GA electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Columbus home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to a few of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Columbus GA, check that the schools you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
How To Become A Commercial Electrician Columbus Georgia
Picking the right electrician training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in How To Become A Commercial Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Programs. But as we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty 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 select is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Columbus GA.
More Electric Locations in Georgia
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a consolidated city-county located on the west central border of the U.S. state of Georgia. Located on the Chattahoochee River directly across from Phenix City, Alabama, Columbus is the county seat of Muscogee County, with which it officially merged in 1970.[4] Columbus is the third-largest city in Georgia and the fourth-largest metropolitan area. According to the 2017 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, Columbus has a population of 194,058 residents, with 303,811 in the Columbus metropolitan area.[2] The metro area joins the nearby Alabama cities of Auburn and Opelika to form the Columbus–Auburn–Opelika Combined Statistical Area, which has a 2017 estimated population of 499,128.
Columbus lies 100 miles (160 km) southwest of Atlanta. Fort Benning, the United States Army's Maneuver Center of Excellence and a major employer, is located south of the city in Chattahoochee County. Columbus is home to museums and tourism sites, including the National Infantry Museum, dedicated to the United States Army's Infantry Branch. It has the longest urban whitewater rafting course in the world constructed on the Chattahoochee River.
This was for centuries and more the traditional territory of the Creek Indians, who became known as one of the Five Civilized Tribes of the Southeast after European contact. Those who lived closest to white-occupied areas conducted considerable trading and adopted some European-American ways.
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