How to Select the Best Electrician Technical School near De Land Illinois
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near De Land IL. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are a number of variables to consider. For instance, many prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have identified some that are within driving range, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. Although cost and location are significant, they are not the sole factors that should be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your final decision when picking an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.
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 training in a technical or vocational school near De Land IL. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Illinois technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards those who wish to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take 2 years to complete and are offered by Illinois 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 earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Illinois institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed before licensing. Therefore, many students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements
Electricians in De Land IL can perform a vast array of services, such as testing, installing and replacing 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 become licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is called for before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually test electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be obtained in various specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician tech school that you pick not only delivers a solid educational 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
A possibility that you might have contemplated is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs have become more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning might be a more accommodating choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Commuting expenses from De Land IL are also reduced and some of the study materials may be available on line also. All of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
When you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Because there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the De Land IL region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess 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 may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the De Land IL program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you acquire an excellent education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate may suggest that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It could also signify that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can produce 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 a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist De Land IL graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with De Land IL area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local De Land IL electrical company if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your De Land home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience 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 expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near De Land IL, check that the schools you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Advanced Electrical Training De Land Illinois
Choosing the right electrical trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Advanced Electrical Training and wanting more information on the topic Online Courses Electrician. But as we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world context, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each training program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in De Land IL.
More Electric Locations in Illinois
De Land, Illinois
De Land is a village in Piatt County, Illinois, United States. The population was 446 at the 2010 census. The name of the village is spelled De Land by the census bureau, but is alternately spelled as one word (DeLand). It is a small bedroom community. A few of the main shops are Casey's General Store, Barnyard Treasures and Auction house, DeLand Farmer's Grain Cooperative, and two antique shops.
As of the census[7] of 2010, there were 446 people, 185 households, and 132 families residing in the village. There were 207 housing units of which 185 were occupied. The racial makeup of the village was 98.4% White, 1.1%Hispanic .9% 2+ Races, .4% Asian, .2% Black.
There were 185 households out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.6% were non-families. 30.8% of all households had individuals under 18 years of age and 29.2% had individuals who were 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.84.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 15
5 Reviews 
4 Reviews 
7 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
1 Reviews 