How to Select the Best Electrician Trade School near Lehi Utah
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Lehi UT. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are a number of points to consider. For instance, many prospective students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have identified several that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole factors that need to be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your final judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are offered.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are several approaches to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Lehi UT. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Bellow are short summaries of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Utah technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are provided by Utah junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Utah colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements
Electricians in Lehi UT can undertake a wide range of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of practical experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be earned in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails three 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 imperative that the electrician tech school that you pick not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Programs
An alternative that you might have contemplated is choosing an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools are becoming more accepted 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 partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning might be a more convenient choice for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Commuting expenses from Lehi UT are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be available online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Training Schools
When you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Lehi UT region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are other variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Lehi UT program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Also, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing 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 program and quit. It might also indicate 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 directory of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Lehi UT graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Lehi UT area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Lehi UT electrical company if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Lehi residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to a few of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Lehi UT, confirm that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Learn To Be An Electrician Lehi Utah
Selecting the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Learn To Be An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Courses. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every program offers different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you pick is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Lehi UT.
More Electric Locations in Utah
Lehi, Utah
Lehi (/ˈliːhaɪ/ LEE-hy) is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is named after Lehi, a prophet in the Book of Mormon. The population was 47,407 at the 2010 census,[3] up from 19,028 in 2000. The center of population of Utah is located in Lehi.[4]
A group of Mormon pioneers settled the area now known as Lehi in the fall of 1850 at a place called Dry Creek in the northernmost part of Utah Valley. It was renamed Evansville in 1851 after David Evans, a local bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Other historical names include Sulphur Springs and Snow's Springs.[5]
The land was organized into parcels of 40 acres (160,000 m2), and new settlers received a plot of this size until the entire tract was exhausted. There was little water to irrigate the rich soil, so it became necessary to divert a portion of American Fork Creek. Evansville consumed up to one-third of the creek's water, as authorized by the Utah Territorial Legislature.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 76
11 Reviews 
6 Reviews 
16 Reviews 
72 Reviews 
16 Reviews 
20 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
5 Reviews 
101 Reviews 
4 Reviews 