How to Pick the Right Electrician Technical School near Hackettstown New Jersey
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Hackettstown NJ. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many factors to evaluate. For instance, many prospective students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have found several that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole factors that must be evaluated. Also important 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 ultimate decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are three general options to get electrician training in a trade or technical school near Hackettstown NJ. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most common programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by New Jersey trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards students who wish to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are provided by New Jersey junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain New Jersey colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be carried out prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Hackettstown NJ can undertake a wide range of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically about four to five years of experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be earned in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails 3 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you choose not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Schools Online
A possibility that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools have become more popular 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 some attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning can be a more accommodating option for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Driving expenses from Hackettstown NJ are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be available on line also. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Because there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Hackettstown NJ area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are other factors that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Hackettstown NJ program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you receive an excellent education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training program 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 course. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It may also mean that the teachers were not qualified 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 list of graduates, which can mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Hackettstown NJ grads secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Hackettstown NJ area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Hackettstown NJ electrical company if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Hackettstown home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be increased 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 sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Hackettstown NJ, confirm that the programs you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.
Industrial Electrician Courses Hackettstown New Jersey
Picking the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Industrial Electrician Courses and wanting more information on the topic Accredited Electrician Vocational Schools. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each program provides unique options for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Hackettstown NJ.
More Electric Locations in New Jersey
Hackettstown, New Jersey
Hackettstown is a town in Warren County, in the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 9,724,[8][9][10] reflecting a decline of 679 (-6.5%) from the 10,403 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,283 (+28.1%) from the 8,120 counted in the 1990 Census.[19] The town is located in the easternmost region of the Lehigh Valley.
Hackettstown was incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 9, 1853, from portions of Independence Township. Portions of territory were exchanged with Mansfield Township in 1857, 1860, 1872 and 1875.[20]
Hackettstown houses the headquarters of Mars Chocolate USA, the American division of Mars, Incorporated, makers of Milky Way, Mars, M&M's, Twix and Snickers candy bars, as well as pet foods (such as the well-known Whiskas and Pedigree brands), human foods (including Uncle Ben's) and non-confectionery snack foods (including Combos).[21]
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