How to Select the Best Electrician Vocational School near Stone Mountain Georgia
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Stone Mountain GA. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to examine. For instance, some potential students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their home. Once they have located some that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though location and cost are significant, they are not the only things that must be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing 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 training options that are available.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are several ways to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Stone Mountain GA. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Bellow are short explanations of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Georgia technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take 2 years to complete and are provided by Georgia community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Georgia institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines
Electricians in Stone Mountain GA can carry out a vast array of functions, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about four to five years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be earned in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases includes 3 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) 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 furnishes a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online
An alternative that you may have considered is choosing an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs have become more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning might be a more accommodating choice for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving expenses from Stone Mountain GA are also reduced and some of the study materials can be available online also. All of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Stone Mountain GA area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional factors that must be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before selecting an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Stone Mountain GA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a superior education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate might signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It may also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Stone Mountain GA graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Stone Mountain GA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed 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, check with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Stone Mountain GA electrical company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Stone Mountain home. Take note that if you decide to attend 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 desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Stone Mountain GA, confirm that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Online Electrician Degree Stone Mountain Georgia
Picking the right 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 Online Electrician Degree and wanting more information on the topic What Degree Do You Need To Be An Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training program that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every program provides unique options for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Stone Mountain GA.
More Electric Locations in Georgia
Stone Mountain, Georgia
Stone Mountain is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 6,368 according to the 2017 US Census estimate.[5] Stone Mountain is located in the eastern part of DeKalb County and is a suburb of Atlanta that encompasses nearly 1.7 square miles. It lies near and touches the western base of the geological formation Stone Mountain. Locals often refer to the city as Stone Mountain Village to distinguish it from the larger unincorporated area traditionally considered Stone Mountain and Stone Mountain Park.
The history of Stone Mountain began long before white European settlers and the Creek Indians before them. Evidence of numerous earlier Native American tribes, including mound builders, have been found in the area of the mountain[6].
The Treaty of Indian Springs in 1821 opened a large swath of Georgia for settlement by European Americans on former Creek Indian land, including present-day Stone Mountain Village. In 1822, the area that now makes up the city was made a part of the newly formed DeKalb County.
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