How to Enroll in the Best Electrician Trade School near Laurens South Carolina
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Laurens SC. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are a number of points to evaluate. For instance, some prospective students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their residence. When they have found several that are within driving distance, they will decide on the one with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the only qualifications that must be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when picking an electrician training school. We will discuss 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 offered.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs
There are three general ways to get electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Laurens SC. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by South Carolina technical and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards those who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to finish and are offered by South Carolina junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain South Carolina institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, many students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Laurens SC can undertake a wide range of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around four to five years of practical experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually assess electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 3 levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies 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 trade school that you select not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
An alternative that you may have looked at is selecting an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning can be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Travelling costs from Laurens SC are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be available on line also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Laurens SC area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research prior to choosing an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Laurens SC school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain an excellent education, it can help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it 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 finish the program. A low completion rate may suggest that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It might also mean that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which may result in 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 also that it has the network of contacts to help Laurens SC grads acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Laurens SC area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Laurens SC electrical contractor if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Laurens residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized 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 teachers and students. Speak to some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Laurens SC, verify that the programs you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Best Online Electrician School Laurens South Carolina
Selecting the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. 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 addressed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Laurens SC.
More Electric Locations in South Carolina
Laurens, South Carolina
Located in the Upstate region of South Carolina, the city of Laurens is named after John Laurens of Revolutionary War fame. It is part of the Greenville–Mauldin–Easley Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The town of Laurens was established by an act of the General Assembly on March 15, 1785 as a location for commercial activities. It was one of the six counties created from the Old Ninety-Six District of South Carolina.[4] Laurens was originally named Laurensville. On December 15, 1845, a charter was issued with the name of Laurensville. The first appearance of the town named Laurens was in an 1873 charter.[5] The town of Laurens was chartered in 1900 and in 1916. The town was named in the honor of Henry Laurens, the South Carolina statesman.[4]
The first inhabitants of Laurens were the Cherokee Indians. They used the land as their hunting and fighting ground. There has been evidence of broken potsherds, weapons, and a mound found linked to Cherokee culture on land now called Laurens. There were many treaties made with the Cherokee Indians over the land known as Laurens County dating back to 1721.[6] Before the America Revolution thousands of immigrants, mainly from Scotland and Ireland, settled in Laurens County. Later Laurens developed into a major intersection of commerce in the colonial America. In the Battle of Musgrove Mill, Laurens witnessed intense fighting.[4]
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