How to Select the Right Electrician Trade School near Aledo Illinois
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Aledo IL. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are so many factors to consider. For example, some prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their residence. After they have found a few that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the sole things that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your final decision when selecting an electrician training 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 educational options that are available.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are multiple approaches to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Aledo IL. You may select 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 first three options. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are brief explanations of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Illinois technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards those who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to complete and are offered by Illinois junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Illinois institutions, but are less popular 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 performed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Aledo IL can perform a multitude of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about 4 to 5 years of experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be obtained in various specializations, such as 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes
An alternative that you might have looked at is selecting an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more practical option for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving expenses from Aledo IL are also minimized and some of the study materials can be available online as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Once you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Aledo IL region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other variables that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have earned 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 pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Aledo IL school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, it can assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Also, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It may also signify that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to employ 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 trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Aledo IL graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician trade programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Aledo IL area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Aledo IL electrical contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Aledo home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to some of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Aledo IL, verify that the programs you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Become Licensed Electrician Aledo Illinois
Picking the right electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Become Licensed Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Courses Night School. But as we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training program that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers unique options for certification also. Perhaps The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Aledo IL.
More Electric Locations in Illinois
Aledo, Illinois
Aledo /ʌˈliːdoʊ/ (u-LEE-doh) is a city in Mercer County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,640 at the 2010 census, up from 3,613 in 2000.[6][7] It is the county seat of Mercer County.[8]
According to the 2010 census, Aledo has a total area of 2.392 square miles (6.20 km2), of which 2.38 square miles (6.16 km2) (or 99.5%) is land and 0.012 square miles (0.03 km2) (or 0.5%) is water.[12]
As of the census[14] of 2010, there were 3,640 people, 1,568 households, and 947 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 98.5% (3,586) white; 0.6% (22) African American; 0.0% (1) Native American; 0.3% (12) Asian; 0.1% (4) from other races; and 0.4% (15) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% (45) of the population.
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