How to Select the Best Electrician Trade School near Lithonia Georgia
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Lithonia GA. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are so many points to consider. For example, some potential students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their home. When they have located some that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the sole qualifications that should be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs
There are several ways to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Lithonia GA. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Georgia vocational and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards those who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve two years to finish and are offered by Georgia community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Georgia institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements
Electricians in Lithonia GA can carry out a wide range of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of practical experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be acquired in several specialties, including 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you select not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools
A possibility that you may have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much 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 practical choice for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Travelling costs from Lithonia GA are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed on line also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Now that you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Lithonia GA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other factors that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Lithonia GA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a superior education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate could signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It may also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Lithonia GA grads secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Lithonia GA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Lithonia GA electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Lithonia home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Lithonia GA, check that the schools you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.
Certified Electrician Course Lithonia Georgia
Choosing the best electrical trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Certified Electrician Course and wanting more information on the topic Evening Electrician Courses. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each training program offers unique options for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Lithonia GA.
More Electric Locations in Georgia
Lithonia, Georgia
"Lithonia" means "city/town of stone". Lithonia is in the heart of the Georgian granite-quarrying and viewing region, hence the name of the town, from the Greek λίθος lithos, for stone. The huge nearby granite dome, Stone Mountain, is composed largely of a rock called Lithonia gneiss, a form of granite. The area has a history of rock quarries. The mines were served by the Georgia Railroad and Atlanta, Stone Mountain & Lithonia Railway. Some of the rock quarries have been converted to parkland and the rail lines to rail-trail.
Lithonia is located in southeastern DeKalb County at 33°42′46″N 84°6′21″W / 33.71278°N 84.10583°W / 33.71278; -84.10583 (33.712658, -84.105897).[6]Interstate 20 passes just south of the community, with access from Exits 74 and 75. Lithonia is 18 miles (29 km) east of the center of Atlanta. Some areas in extreme southern Gwinnett County use a Lithonia postal address near the county line.
In 1805, Lithonia began as a small crossroads settlement of farmers. The town grew with the coming of the Atlanta Augusta Railroad in 1845, which allowed the granite quarrying industry in the area to flourish.[7]
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