How to Pick the Right Electrician Trade School near Lucas Ohio
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Lucas OH. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are a number of variables to consider. For example, some potential students will start by looking for schools that are close to their residence. After they have located some that are within driving range, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the sole things that should 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 ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are available.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are multiple approaches to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Lucas OH. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are short summaries of the three most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Ohio trade and technical schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to finish and are provided by Ohio community colleges, usually 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 previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Ohio colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Lucas OH can undertake a multitude of duties, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about four to five years of experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be acquired in several specialties, including 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 crucial that the electrician tech school that you choose not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online
A possibility that you might have considered is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more practical choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting expenses from Lucas OH are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available on line also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
When you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Since there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Lucas OH area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other factors that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Lucas OH school and program are 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 receive an excellent education, it can help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It may also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Lucas OH grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Lucas OH area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Lucas OH electrical company if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Lucas home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Lucas OH, confirm that the schools you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Electrician Online Training Lucas Ohio
Picking the right electrician trade school 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 Online Training and wanting more information on the topic Trade Schools For Electricians. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each program offers different options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Lucas OH.
More Electric Locations in Ohio
Lucas County, Ohio
Lucas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio and bordered on the east by Lake Erie, and on the southeast by the Maumee River, which runs to the lake. As of the 2010 census, the population was 441,815.[2] Its county seat is Toledo, located at the mouth of the Maumee River on the lake.[3] The county was named for Robert Lucas, 12th governor of Ohio, in 1835 during his second term.[4] Its establishment provoked the Toledo War conflict with the Michigan Territory, which claimed some of its area.
On August 20, 1794, near the site of the present-day town of Maumee, American forces led by General Anthony Wayne won a decisive victory over allied Indian forces at the Battle of Fallen Timbers after years of conflict in what was known as the Northwest Indian War. The defeat of the Native forces resulted in the opening of the entire Northwest Territory for white settlement. Northwest Ohio was occupied chiefly by villages and bands of the Odawa people, who had trading relations with the French at Fort Detroit since 1701. Other Odawa were located in southeast Michigan and further north on the peninsula. They ceded much of that territory in the Treaty of Greenville but retained control of lands along the Maumee River until after the War of 1812. The last Odawa band, that of Ottokee, grandson of Chief Pontiac, left the Maumee River area for Kansas in 1839.[5][6]
Lucas County was established in 1835. At that time, both Ohio and Michigan Territory claimed sovereignty over a 468-square-mile (1,210 km2) region along their border (see Toledo War). When Michigan petitioned Congress for statehood in 1835, it sought to include the disputed territory within its bounds. In response, the Ohio General Assembly formally organized part of the area as Lucas County, naming it after the incumbent governor of Ohio, Robert Lucas.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 6
2 Reviews 1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
8 Reviews 
10 Reviews 
3 Reviews 