How to Pick the Right Electrician Trade School near Silverthorne Colorado
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Silverthorne CO. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are so many variables to consider. For instance, some students will start by looking for schools that are close to their residence. When they have found some that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the sole qualifications that must be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when selecting an electrician school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are three general ways to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Silverthorne CO. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are brief explanations of the 3 most typical programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Colorado technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards students who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to complete and are offered by Colorado community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Colorado institutions, 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 in most cases four years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements
Electricians in Silverthorne CO can carry out a multitude of functions, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around 4 to 5 years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be earned in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails 3 levels of competency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you pick not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online
An alternative that you may have contemplated is selecting an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs have become more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more accommodating option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Travelling expenses from Silverthorne CO are also lessened and some of the study materials may be available online also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
When you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Silverthorne CO region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Silverthorne CO program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify 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 may signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It might also mean 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 broader directory 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 affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Silverthorne CO grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught along 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 contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Silverthorne CO area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Silverthorne CO electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Silverthorne home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might 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 difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs 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 Silverthorne CO, confirm that the schools 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, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Top Electrician Trade Schools Silverthorne Colorado
Picking the right electrical trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Top Electrician Trade Schools and wanting more information on the topic How To Be Electrician. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical training that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world context, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers unique options for certification also. Perhaps The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Silverthorne CO.
More Electric Locations in Colorado
Silverthorne, Colorado
The town was named for Judge Marshall Silverthorn who served as the judge of the miner's court in Breckenridge. The judge first came to town as a prospector and claimed a section of the Blue River in 1881. After patenting his claim in April 1882, he was disappointed to find the gold to be sparse and the claim a poor bet. The land passed to his daughters on his death in 1887 and was then sold several times to various mining companies. In 1953 Clayton Hill bought the property and subdivided it for homes and stores.[8]
Silverthorne served as a makeshift camp for workers during the construction of the Dillon Reservoir from 1961-1963, and later as a stop along Interstate 70. It was eventually incorporated on April 5, 1967.[2]
Since 2016, the town of Silverthorne has hosted the Silverthon Games, an annual competition featuring a seasonally-based slate of individual and team events, culminating with the heavily-spectated Hummingbird Circle race. [9]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 12
2 Reviews 
1 Reviews 1 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 2 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
7 Reviews 