How to Enroll in the Right Electrician Technical School near Clawson Michigan
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Clawson MI. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many factors to consider. For example, many potential students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their home. When they have identified several that are within driving distance, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the only qualifications that should be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your final decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs
There are several options to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Clawson MI. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are brief summaries of the three most common programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Michigan technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are provided by Michigan junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Michigan institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Clawson MI can carry out a wide range of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed 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 an optional means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be acquired in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes three levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you pick not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs
An option that you might have contemplated is choosing an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more practical alternative for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Commuting costs from Clawson MI are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed online as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Now that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Because there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Clawson MI area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The first two 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 final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are other factors that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess before selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical 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 relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Clawson MI program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It could also mean that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, 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 affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Clawson MI graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Clawson MI area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Clawson MI electrical company if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Clawson home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may 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 bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees 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 Clawson MI, verify that the schools you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, 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, illness or family emergencies.
Best Online Electrician School Clawson Michigan
Choosing the best electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Best Online Electrician School and wanting more information on the topic How To Become A Licensed Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical tech school that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Clawson MI.
More Electric Locations in Michigan
Clawson, Michigan
The city's name is a misspelling of John Lawson's name, a local settler.[8] Clawson began in 1829 and was originally known as Pumachug and The Corners. It was incorporated in 1921 as a village and in 1940 as a city.[9]
At the 2010 census,[3] there were 11,825 people, 5,460 households and 2,992 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,375.0 inhabitants per square mile (2,075.3/km2). There were 5,791 housing units at an average density of 2,632.3 per square mile (1,016.3/km2). The racial makeup was 93.4% White, 1.9% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population.
There were 5,460 households of which 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.2% were non-families. 38.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.88.
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