How to Choose the Best Electrician Training School near Arlington Heights Illinois
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Arlington Heights IL. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of variables to consider. For example, many students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have found some that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the only factors that need to be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician school. We will cover 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 educational options 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 Arlington Heights IL. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Illinois trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards students who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to complete and are provided by Illinois community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Illinois institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Arlington Heights IL can perform a multitude of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around four to five years of experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be obtained in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves three 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 crucial that the electrician tech school that you select not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Training Classes Online
An alternative that you may have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, distance learning may be a more practical choice for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting costs from Arlington Heights IL are also lessened and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Arlington Heights IL region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. 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 determination, there are other factors that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Arlington Heights IL program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, many states require that the electrician training course 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 percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It may also indicate that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which may mean 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 a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Arlington Heights IL grads secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Arlington Heights IL area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Arlington Heights IL electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Arlington Heights home. Take note 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 get as much one-on-one 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 witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and find out 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 meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Arlington Heights IL, 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 allows part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.
Electrical Vocational School Arlington Heights Illinois
Picking the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Vocational School and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Schools Online. 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 considering. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Arlington Heights IL.
More Electric Locations in Illinois
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Arlington Heights is a village in Cook County in the U.S. state of Illinois. A suburb of Chicago, it lies about 25 miles (40 km) northwest of the city's downtown.[3] The population was 75,101 at the 2010 census.[4] It is the most populous community in the United States that is incorporated as a "village", although it is not far ahead of its nearby Illinois neighboring villages of Schaumburg and adjacent Palatine.
Arlington Heights is known for Arlington Park Race Track, home of the Arlington Million, a Breeders' Cup qualifying event; it also hosted the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships in 2002. The village is also home to the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, which has one of the largest collections in the state.
Arlington Heights lies mostly in the western part of Wheeling Township, with territory in adjacent Elk Grove and Palatine townships, in an area originally notable for the absence of groves and trees. The General Land Office began selling land here in 1835. In 1853, William Dunton, originally from Oswego, New York, persuaded the Illinois & Wisconsin Railroad to make a stop here, and laid out a town called Dunton. Dunton Avenue, named after William Dunton, is the village's base line that splits addresses east and west, with Campbell Street splitting north and south.
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