How to Select the Right Electrician Trade School near North Chicago Illinois
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near North Chicago IL. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are so many variables to examine. For example, some prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their home. When they have identified several that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though cost and location are important, they are not the only factors that need to be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your final decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are available.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are multiple options to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near North Chicago IL. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Illinois technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards those who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are provided by Illinois junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Illinois colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in North Chicago IL can carry out a multitude of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around four to five years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be acquired in several specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails 3 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you choose not only delivers a solid academic 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 enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more convenient choice for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Commuting costs from North Chicago IL are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available online as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Once you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the North Chicago IL area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the North Chicago IL program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved 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 percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It might also mean that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which may 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 an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help North Chicago IL students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with North Chicago IL area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure 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 specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local North Chicago IL electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within driving distance of your North Chicago home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near North Chicago IL, confirm that the schools you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Electrician Training Requirements North Chicago Illinois
Picking the right electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Training Requirements and wanting more information on the topic Become A Qualified Electrician. But as we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers unique options for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you pick is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in North Chicago IL.
More Electric Locations in Illinois
North Chicago, Illinois
The city is also home to Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, which houses the Chicago Medical School, the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, the College of Pharmacy, the College of Health Professions, and the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. North Chicago in the past was an important center of industry, and that past is reflected within the landscape as the area is still heavily industrialized today.
According to the 2010 census, North Chicago has a total area of 7.915 square miles (20.50 km2), of which 7.9 square miles (20.46 km2) (or 99.81%) is land and 0.015 square miles (0.04 km2) (or 0.19%) is water.[5]
The city is situated on Lake Michigan. Most of its territory drains directly to the lake, but the western region drains to the North Branch of the Chicago River, and ultimately, since the engineering projects of the 19th century, to the Illinois and thence to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.
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