Electrician Courses Greenwood IN - Find Electrician Training Near You

How to Select the Right Electrician Training School near Greenwood Indiana

Greenwood IN electrician working on circuit board The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Greenwood IN. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are a number of factors to examine. For instance, some potential students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their residence. When they have located a few that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the only things that must be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final decision when selecting an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are offered.

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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options

Greenwood IN electrician on power line pole There are several approaches to receive electrician training in a trade or technical school near Greenwood IN. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are brief explanations of the three most common programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Indiana vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to finish and are offered by Indiana junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Indiana colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements

Greenwood IN electrician wiring box Electricians in Greenwood IN can undertake a wide range of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually assess 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 identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be obtained in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 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 imperative that the electrician trade school that you choose not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Programs Online

Greenwood IN student attending electrician school online An option that you may have considered is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more convenient option for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Travelling expenses from Greenwood IN are also minimized and some of the study materials may be available online also. All of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Questions to ask Greenwood IN electrician schools Now that you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Greenwood IN area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed 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 while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional variables that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Greenwood IN program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you get an excellent education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training course 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 percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It could also signify that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to employ 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 also that it has the network of contacts to help Greenwood IN graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Greenwood IN area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical 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 tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Greenwood IN electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Greenwood home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak with some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Greenwood IN, confirm that the programs you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Electrician Courses Greenwood Indiana

Greenwood IN electricians working on power lines Selecting the best electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Courses and wanting more information on the topic Become Licensed Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training program that you are assessing includes a lot 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 frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers different options for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Greenwood IN.