How to Find the Right Electrician Vocational School near Warner Robins Georgia
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Warner Robins GA. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are so many factors to evaluate. For instance, many potential students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their home. When they have located a few that are within driving range, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that must be evaluated. 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 ultimate decision when choosing an electrician school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are available.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs
There are several approaches to get electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Warner Robins GA. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are brief summaries of the 3 most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Georgia trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who would like to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are offered by Georgia junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Georgia colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Warner Robins GA can perform a vast array of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about four to five years of experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be obtained in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails three 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Programs Online
An alternative that you might have considered is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning might be a more accommodating choice for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Commuting expenses from Warner Robins GA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be available on line also. All of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Warner Robins GA region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many 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 pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Warner Robins GA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states require 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate may indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It may also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Warner Robins GA grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational 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 within their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Warner Robins GA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date 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 with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Warner Robins GA electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Warner Robins residence. 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 personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to several of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Warner Robins GA, confirm that the schools you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.
Advanced Electrical Training Warner Robins Georgia
Selecting the best electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Advanced Electrical Training and wanting more information on the topic Online Courses Electrician. But as we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each program provides unique possibilities 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. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Warner Robins GA.
More Electric Locations in Georgia
Warner Robins, Georgia
Warner Robins is a city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located in Houston County in the central part of the state. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 66,588. From 2000 to 2010, the Warner Robins city population grew by 36.4% (from 48,804 people to 66,588).
Warner Robins is a part of the larger Macon-Warner Robins Combined Statistical Area, with an estimated 2017 population of 420,693. Warner Robins Air Depot was built in 1942 just outside the city limits. Its expansion has attracted more residents.
Warner Robins was founded in 1942 from the community of Wellston. It was named for General Augustine Warner Robins (1882-1940) of the United States Air Force. It was incorporated as a town in 1943 and as a city in 1956.[4]
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