How to Find the Right Electrician Tech School near Ridgecrest California
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Ridgecrest CA. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are a number of factors to consider. For instance, many students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found a few that are within driving range, they will pick the one with the least expensive tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the only factors that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are available.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are several approaches to receive electrician training in a trade or technical school near Ridgecrest CA. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are short summaries of the 3 most typical programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by California trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve two years to complete and are offered by California community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some California institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Ridgecrest CA can undertake a multitude of functions, including 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 the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around 4 to 5 years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be earned in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes
A possibility that you may have considered is choosing an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. 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 entirely 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 attended online, distance learning may be a more practical alternative for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Commuting expenses from Ridgecrest CA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online also. All of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Ridgecrest CA area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first 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 while all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Ridgecrest CA program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It might also signify that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Ridgecrest CA students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Ridgecrest CA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Ridgecrest CA electrical company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Ridgecrest residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Ridgecrest CA, check that the schools you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Electrician College Courses Ridgecrest California
Selecting the ideal electrical trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician College Courses and wanting more information on the topic College Electrician Courses. But as we have addressed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer 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 certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Each program provides different options for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Ridgecrest CA.
More Electric Locations in California
Ridgecrest, California
Ridgecrest is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is located along U.S. Route 395 in the Indian Wells Valley in northeastern Kern County, adjacent to the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake (NAWS, or China Lake). The population was 27,616 at the 2010 census, up from 24,927 at the 2000 census. It was incorporated as a city in 1963.
Ridgecrest is surrounded by four mountain ranges; the Sierra Nevada on the west, the Cosos on the north, the Argus Range on the east, and the El Paso Mountains on the south. It is approximately 82 miles (132 km) from the Lancaster/Palmdale area, 110 miles (177 km) from Bakersfield, and 120 miles (193 km) from San Bernardino, the three nearest major urban centers. Private air travel in and out of the city is provided through the Inyokern Airport. There are currently no scheduled commercial flights in or out of Ridgecrest.
The settlement began as a farming community called Crumville in 1912,[10] honoring James and Robert Crum, local dairymen.[10] The first post office opened in 1941. By 1943, Ridgecrest had grown to 115 homes and 196 residents. NOTS (Naval Ordnance Test Station) was established in November 1943, providing a strong job base for the years to come.[10]
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