How to Choose the Best Electrician Technical School near Gastonia North Carolina
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Gastonia NC. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are a number of factors to examine. For example, many potential students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their residence. When they have identified several that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that should be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are three general ways to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Gastonia NC. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three options. In many cases these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are short explanations of the 3 most common programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by North Carolina trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards those who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are offered by North Carolina junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain North Carolina colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Gastonia NC can carry out a vast array of duties, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be earned in various specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes three levels of competency:
- 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 important that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes
An option that you may have considered is choosing an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, internet learning can be a more practical choice for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Commuting expenses from Gastonia NC are also minimized and some of the study materials may be available on line also. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Gastonia NC area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Gastonia NC school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get a quality education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states mandate 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It might also mean that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to employ 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 field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Gastonia NC graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician trade programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Gastonia NC area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Gastonia NC electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Gastonia residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with some of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Gastonia NC, check that the programs you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Electrical Online Schools Gastonia North Carolina
Picking the right electrician trade school will undoubtedly 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 Online Schools and wanting more information on the topic Electrical College. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best way 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 a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Gastonia NC.
More Electric Locations in North Carolina
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city in and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the second largest satellite city of the Charlotte area, behind Concord. The population was 71,741 at the 2010 Census.[4] In 2016, the population had increased to 75,536.[5] Gastonia is the 13th largest city in North Carolina. It is part of the Charlotte metropolitan area, officially designated the Charlotte Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Gastonia has experienced steady growth, with a population increase between 2000 and 2010 of nearly 8.2%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The City Hospital-Gaston Memorial Hospital, Craig Farmstead, Downtown Gastonia Historic District, First National Bank Building, Gaston County Courthouse, Gastonia High School, David Jenkins House, Loray Mill Historic District, Robinson-Gardner Building, Third National Bank Building, and William J. Wilson House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[7][8]
The Loray Mill strike of 1929 in Gastonia was one of the most notable strikes in the labor history of the United States. The role of organizers for Communist Party-affiliated National Textile Workers Union alienated religious leaders in Gastonia, who denounced the organizers' ideology, undermining support for the strike.[9] The strike collapsed after the death of Gastonia's police chief, Orville Alderholt, led to a murder trial of several of the organizers.[10] The strike largely failed in attaining its goals of better working conditions and wages, and the American labor movement was never able to gain a foothold among textile workers in Gastonia. The strike, however, became for a while an international cause célèbre, figuring in several novels published in the 1930s.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 88
1 Reviews 
4 Reviews 
11 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
26 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
2 Reviews 