How to Enroll in the Best Electrician Trade School near Maricopa Arizona
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Maricopa AZ. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are so many factors to examine. For instance, some potential students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found several that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though location and cost are significant, they are not the sole qualifications that should be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are multiple approaches to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Maricopa AZ. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are brief descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Arizona trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require two years to finish and are offered by Arizona community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Arizona institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Maricopa AZ can undertake a wide range of services, such as testing, installing and replacing 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 be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally about four to five years of experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be acquired in several specialties, including 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 organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you select not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes
An option that you might have considered is selecting an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning may be a more accommodating choice for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Driving expenses from Maricopa AZ are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Maricopa AZ region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we mentioned 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 critical when making your decision, there are other factors that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have acquired 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, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Maricopa AZ program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you get a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify 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 low completion rate could indicate that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It may also indicate that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to use 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 trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Maricopa AZ graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Maricopa AZ area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed 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, check with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Maricopa AZ electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within driving distance of your Maricopa home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with some of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Maricopa AZ, confirm that the programs you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.
Online Electrician Training Courses Maricopa Arizona
Choosing the ideal electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Online Electrician Training Courses and wanting more information on the topic Accredited Electrician Online Programs. But as we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical training that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each program provides unique options for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Maricopa AZ.
More Electric Locations in Arizona
Maricopa, Arizona
Maricopa is a city in the Gila River Valley in Arizona. With an estimated 51,977 residents as of 2018[4], Maricopa is the second most populous incorporated city in Pinal County and eighteenth most populous in Arizona.[2] Maricopa forms part of the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Maricopa has had three locations over the years: Maricopa Wells, Maricopaville and Maricopa Junction; the latter gradually became known as Maricopa. It started as an oasis around a series of watering holes eight miles north of present-day Maricopa, and about a mile west of Pima Butte. European-American traders and travelers called it Maricopa Wells. Several of Arizona’s rivers, the Gila, Santa Cruz, Vekol and Santa Rosa provided this oasis in the desert with an ample supply of water during this period of time.
During the late 1800s, Maricopa Wells was one of the most important relay stations along the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line and the later more famous Butterfield Overland Mail Route. Although little remains of this once bustling community, it played an important part in the progress and development of the Southwest. It was one of the best-known spots in Arizona during this period of time because it had a reliable source of water, and offered an abundant supply of food. The peaceful Pima and Maricopa farmers who lived and farmed nearby sold supplies to travelers and migrants.
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