How to Pick the Best Electrician Technical School near Lumpkin Georgia
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Lumpkin GA. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are a number of variables to evaluate. For example, many students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have located a few that are within driving range, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the sole qualifications that need to be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your final judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are offered.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are multiple approaches to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Lumpkin GA. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are short explanations of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Georgia trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards students who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are offered by Georgia community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, 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 no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Lumpkin GA can undertake a vast array of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly around four to five years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be acquired in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves three levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with 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 educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Programs
A possibility that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, internet learning might be a more convenient option for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Travelling costs from Lumpkin GA are also reduced and some of the study materials can be available online also. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
When you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Because there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Lumpkin GA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional variables that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Lumpkin GA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate might suggest that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It might also suggest that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may mean 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 additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Lumpkin GA grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Lumpkin GA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Lumpkin GA electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Lumpkin home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in 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 get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with several of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Lumpkin GA, verify that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Learn Electrician Lumpkin Georgia
Selecting the right electrical trade school 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 Learn Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Train As Electrician. But as we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Lumpkin GA.
More Electric Locations in Georgia
Lumpkin, Georgia
This area of Georgia was inhabited by succeeding cultures of indigenous Native Americans for thousands of years before European contact. Historical tribes included the Cherokee, Choctaw and Creek, who encountered European Americans as their settlements moved into traditional territory. During the Indian removal of 1830, the United States government forced such tribes to move west of the Mississippi River to Indian Territory, to extinguish their claims and make way for more European-American settlement.
Lumpkin was incorporated by European Americans on March 30, 1829. First named the county seat of Randolph County on December 2, 1830, it became the seat of Stewart County when the latter was split from Randolph three weeks later. The city was named in honor of Wilson Lumpkin, a two-term governor of Georgia and legislator who supported Indian removal. His namesake county is at the northern end of the state.[5]
The town grew as a commercial center served by stagecoach. Its merchants traded with the planters in the area. This was part of the Black Belt, named for the fertile land in the upland South that supported extensive cotton plantations in the 19th century. In the antebellum years, planters depended on the labor and skills of hundreds of thousands of enslaved African Americans to cultivate and process the cotton for market.[5]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 2
1 Reviews 
5 Reviews 