How to Find the Best Electrician Training School near Old Lyme Connecticut
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Old Lyme CT. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are so many factors to evaluate. For instance, some potential students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their home. When they have located a few that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that need to be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are accessible.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are three general ways to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Old Lyme CT. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are short descriptions of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Connecticut trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take 2 years to finish and are provided by Connecticut junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Connecticut institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Old Lyme CT can undertake a vast array of services, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally about four to five years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be obtained in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you choose not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes
An option that you might have looked at is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, distance learning might be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Commuting expenses from Old Lyme CT are also minimized and some of the study materials can be available online also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Old Lyme CT area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we talked about 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 final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may 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 Old Lyme CT school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It may also indicate that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader 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 can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Old Lyme CT grads secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught together 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 electrical companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Old Lyme CT area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local 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 working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Old Lyme CT electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Old Lyme home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to some of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise 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 handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Old Lyme CT, verify that the schools you are comparing provide those choices. 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 policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Become An Electrician Online Old Lyme Connecticut
Picking the right electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Become An Electrician Online and wanting more information on the topic School For Electrician. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each training program offers unique options for certification also. Probably The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure 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 trade as a professional electrician in Old Lyme CT.
More Electric Locations in Connecticut
Old Lyme, Connecticut
Old Lyme is a coastal town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The Main Street of the town, Lyme Street, is a historic district. The town has long been a popular summer resort and artists' colony. The town is named after Lyme Regis, England.
The US headquarters of Sennheiser is located in Old Lyme, as is Callaway Cars, the Florence Griswold Museum (including the Florence Griswold House), the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, and the Lyme Art Association. Old Lyme and its neighboring town Lyme are the namesake for Lyme disease.
Old Lyme is a community of about 7,600 permanent residents, in addition to several thousand seasonal vacationers who occupy a seaside community of summer residences. It is located on the east bank of the Connecticut River at its confluence with the Long Island Sound, across the river from Old Saybrook on the west bank. Numerous examples of Colonial and Federal architecture can be found throughout the town.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 93
18 Reviews 1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
11 Reviews 3 Reviews 
19 Reviews 1 Reviews 2 Reviews 