How to Choose the Best Electrician Technical School near Pittsfield Massachusetts
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Pittsfield MA. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to examine. For example, many prospective students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have found several that are within driving range, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the sole things that need to be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should influence your final judgment when choosing an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are three general approaches to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Pittsfield MA. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Massachusetts trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are provided by Massachusetts junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Massachusetts colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Pittsfield MA can perform a wide range of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be acquired in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you choose not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Programs
An alternative that you may have contemplated is selecting an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Travelling expenses from Pittsfield MA are also minimized and some of the study materials can be available online as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Pittsfield MA area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional factors that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Pittsfield MA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a superior education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Also, many states mandate 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It might also signify that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may mean 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 industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Pittsfield MA graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Pittsfield MA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Pittsfield MA electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Pittsfield residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger 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 teachers and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Pittsfield MA, verify that the programs you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Electrical Programs Pittsfield Massachusetts
Choosing the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Programs and wanting more information on the topic Schooling For Electricians. But as we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every training program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you pick is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Pittsfield MA.
More Electric Locations in Massachusetts
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the historic county seat of Berkshire County,[2]Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. The population was 44,737 at the 2010 census.[3] Although the population has declined in recent decades, Pittsfield remains the third largest municipality in western Massachusetts, behind only Springfield and Chicopee.
In 2005, Farmers Insurance ranked Pittsfield 20th in the United States as "Most Secure Place To Live" among small towns with fewer than 150,000 residents.[4] In 2006, Forbes ranked Pittsfield as number 61 in its list of Best Small Places for Business.[5] In 2008, Country Home magazine ranked Pittsfield as #24 in a listing of "green cities" east of the Mississippi.[6] In 2009, the City of Pittsfield was chosen to receive a 2009 Commonwealth Award, Massachusetts' highest award in the arts, humanities, and sciences.[7] In 2010, the Financial Times proclaimed Pittsfield the "Brooklyn of the Berkshires", in an article covering its recent renaissance.[8]
In 2012, the city was listed among the 10 best places for single people to retire in the U.S. by U.S. News, due to the high number of single older residents and higher likelihood of finding companionship or a partner.[9]
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