How to Pick the Best Electrician Technical School near Lithia Springs Georgia
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Lithia Springs GA. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are a number of points to consider. For example, some students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have identified a few that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the sole qualifications that should be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician training school. We will talk about 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.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs
There are three general options to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Lithia Springs GA. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the three most common programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Georgia vocational and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to finish and are provided by Georgia 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 mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Georgia colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Lithia Springs GA can undertake a wide range of duties, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be acquired in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes 3 levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you select not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools
An alternative that you might have looked at is selecting an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning can be a more convenient choice for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving expenses from Lithia Springs GA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be accessed on line also. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
When you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Lithia Springs GA region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The first 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are other factors that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have attained 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 sure that the Lithia Springs GA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training course 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 finish the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It could also indicate that the teachers were not qualified 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 more extensive list of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Lithia Springs GA students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician trade programs are taught in conjunction 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 companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Lithia Springs GA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Lithia Springs GA electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Lithia Springs residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to several of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Lithia Springs GA, check that the schools you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Vocational School Electrician Lithia Springs Georgia
Choosing the ideal electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Vocational School Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Training Courses For Electricians. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers different options for certification also. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Lithia Springs GA.
More Electric Locations in Georgia
Lithia Springs, Georgia
Lithia Springs is a census-designated place and unincorporated area, formerly incorporated as a city, located in northeastern Douglas County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the community had a population of 15,491.[3] The area is named for its historic "lithia" mineral water springs.
Incorporated in 1882, Lithia Springs was dissolved the first time in 1933. Lithia Springs became incorporated again in 1994, to be Douglas County's second completely internal municipality, but disincorporated again in 2001.
In 2001, the citizens voted (80% yea, 20% nay) on March 20 to dissolve the city charter and de-incorporate the city, transferring all assets to the county. The referendum that ended the town was part of the settlement in a lawsuit brought by city residents charging the city should be dissolved because it did not deliver enough services to justify its existence under state law. During its incorporation until 2001, the former city had five mayors.
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