How to Choose the Best Electrician Technical School near Blythewood South Carolina
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Blythewood SC. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of factors to evaluate. For example, many potential students will start by looking for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have located a few that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that must be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are accessible.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are multiple options to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Blythewood SC. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the 3 most common programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by South Carolina trade and technical schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are provided by South Carolina community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some South Carolina colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Blythewood SC can carry out a multitude of duties, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally about four to five years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually test electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be acquired in numerous specializations, including 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 organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
An option that you might have looked at is choosing an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more practical option for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Driving costs from Blythewood SC are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Blythewood SC area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Blythewood SC school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Also, 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate might signify that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It might also signify that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may 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 an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Blythewood SC students secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Blythewood SC area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local 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 working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Blythewood SC electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Blythewood home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction 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 observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to several of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Blythewood SC, confirm that the programs you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.
School For Electrician Blythewood South Carolina
Choosing the right electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in School For Electrician and wanting more information on the topic School To Be An Electrician. But as we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Blythewood SC.
More Electric Locations in South Carolina
Blythewood, South Carolina
Blythewood is a town in Richland and Fairfield counties, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,034 at the 2010 census,[3] up from 170 in 2000.[4] It is part of the Columbia, South Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 9.8 square miles (25.3 km2), of which 9.7 square miles (25.1 km2) is land and 0.077 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.79%. is water.[3]
"Blythewood" is the mailing address for over 80 square miles (210 km2) of unincorporated Richland County, using the 29016 ZIP code. The area includes several planned subdivisions, both with and without property owners associations. Law enforcement in both the unincorporated area and the town proper is provided by the Richland County Sheriffs Department.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 27
3 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
13 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
2 Reviews 