How to Choose the Best Electrician Tech School near Braidwood Illinois
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Braidwood IL. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are a number of factors to evaluate. For example, many potential students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have identified a few that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the only factors that must be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your final decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. 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, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are three general approaches to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Braidwood IL. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Bellow are brief descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Illinois trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve two years to complete and are offered by Illinois junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Illinois institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Braidwood IL can carry out a wide range of services, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around 4 to 5 years of experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually assess electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be acquired in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails three 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 imperative that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online
A possibility that you may have looked at is choosing an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning may be a more convenient choice for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Driving expenses from Braidwood IL are also reduced and some of the study materials can be available on line as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Once you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Braidwood IL region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Braidwood IL school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get an excellent education, it can assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It might also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Braidwood IL students acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught together 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 electrical companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Braidwood IL area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Braidwood IL electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Braidwood residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with several of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Braidwood IL, verify that the programs you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.
Electrician Training Courses Online Braidwood Illinois
Selecting the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrician Training Courses Online and wanting more information on the topic Electrician Classes Online. But as we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician training that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Each program offers different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you choose is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Braidwood IL.
More Electric Locations in Illinois
Braidwood, Illinois
The Braidwood Nuclear Generating Station, a nuclear power plant currently owned by Exelon Corporation, is also located in the area (although the plant's address is actually in the nearby town of Braceville). The station is one of the major employers in the area and provides a significant portion of the electricity used in the Chicago area. The plant has been the subject of controversy concerning a series of leaks since 2007[3][4]
Reed-Custer Community Unit School District 255 educates students from in and around Braidwood, Custer Park, Essex, and Godley. The district has 3 schools: Reed-Custer Elementary School (Grades PreK-5), Reed-Custer Middle School (Grades 6-8), and Reed-Custer High School (Grades 9-12). The district level administrators are: Mark Mitchell (Superintendent), Christine Nelson (Assistant Superintendent), and Jim King (Director of Operations).
Reed-Custer High School is located in Braidwood. Reed-Custer High School is located at 249 Comet Drive in Braidwood, IL 60408. The principal at RCHS is Tim Ricketts. RCHS is part of the Reed-Custer School District known as 255U. The school mascot is known as "Comets". RCHS offers numerous classes that vary on many different subjects that are not just core classes.
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