How to Pick the Right Electrician Trade School near Bakersfield California
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Bakersfield CA. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are a number of variables to evaluate. For instance, some students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have located several that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole factors that should be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs
There are three general approaches to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Bakersfield CA. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Often these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are brief explanations of the three most common programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by California trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards students who would like to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are provided by California community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some California colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be carried out prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Bakersfield CA can perform a multitude of services, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be earned in various specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process 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 important that the electrician vocational school that you select not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes
An option that you may have looked at is choosing an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, internet learning can be a more accommodating alternative for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Commuting expenses from Bakersfield CA are also reduced and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
When you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Bakersfield CA area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Bakersfield CA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It may also suggest 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 graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Bakersfield CA graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Bakersfield CA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Bakersfield CA electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Bakersfield residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with a few of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few 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 schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Bakersfield CA, check that the programs you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.
Electrical Apprenticeship School Bakersfield California
Selecting the ideal electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Apprenticeship School and wanting more information on the topic Vocational Training Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical training that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Bakersfield CA.
More Electric Locations in California
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city in and the county seat of Kern County, California, United States. It covers about 142 sq mi (370 km2)[13] near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's population is around 380,000,[10] making it the 9th-most populous city in California and the 52nd-most populous city in the nation. The Bakersfield–Delano Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Kern County, had a 2010 census population of 839,631, making it the 62nd-largest metropolitan area in the United States.[14] The more built-up urban area that includes Bakersfield and areas immediately around the city, such as East Bakersfield, Oildale, and Rosedale, has a population of over 520,000. Bakersfield is a charter city.
The city is a significant hub for both agriculture and oil production. Kern County is the most productive oil-producing county[15] and the fourth-most productive agricultural county (by value) in the United States.[16] Industries include natural gas and other energy extraction, aerospace, mining, petroleum refining, manufacturing, distribution, food processing, and corporate regional offices.[17] The city is also the birthplace of the country music genre known as the Bakersfield sound.
Archaeological evidence indicates the presence of Native American settlements dating back thousands of years.[18] The Yokuts lived in lodges[19] along the branches of the Kern River delta and hunted antelope, tule elk, deer, bear, fish, and game birds. In 1776, Spanish missionary Father Francisco Garcés became the first European to explore the area. Owing to the remoteness and inaccessibility of the region, however, the Yokuts remained largely isolated until after the Mexican War of Independence, when Mexican settlers began to migrate to the area. Following the discovery of gold in California in 1848, settlers flooded into the San Joaquin Valley. In 1851, gold was discovered along the Kern River in the southern Sierra Nevada, and in 1865, oil was discovered in the valley.[20] The Bakersfield area, once a tule reed-covered marshland, was first known as Kern Island to the handful of pioneers, who built log cabins there in 1860. The area was subject to periodic flooding from the Kern River, which occupied what is now the downtown area, and experienced outbreaks of malaria.[21]
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