How to Enroll in the Right Electrician Training School near Dundee Illinois
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Dundee IL. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are a number of points to consider. For instance, many prospective students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. When they have found some that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. Even though location and cost are important, they are not the only things that should be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are offered.
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Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are three general ways to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Dundee IL. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the three most typical programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Illinois vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs involve 2 years to complete and are provided by Illinois junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Illinois institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed before licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Dundee IL can undertake a multitude of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be earned in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process 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 crucial that the electrician tech school that you select not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs
A possibility that you might have considered is choosing an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools have become more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, internet learning may be a more convenient option for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Driving costs from Dundee IL are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be available on line also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Now that you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Dundee IL region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest 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 other variables that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Dundee IL program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive a superior education, it may help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved 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 program. A low completion rate could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It might also mean that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Dundee IL students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Dundee IL area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Dundee IL electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Dundee residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to several of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Dundee IL, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Electrical Technician Program Dundee Illinois
Choosing the right electrical trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Technician Program and wanting more information on the topic Top Electrician Schools Online. But as we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical training that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every program provides different options for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers 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 training program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Dundee IL.
More Electric Locations in Illinois
West Dundee, Illinois
According to the 2010 census, West Dundee has a total area of 3.811 square miles (9.87 km2), of which 3.71 square miles (9.61 km2) (or 97.35%) is land and 0.101 square miles (0.26 km2) (or 2.65%) is water.[4]
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 5,428 people, 2,059 households, and 1,453 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,040.5 people per square mile (787.9/km²). There were 2,103 housing units at an average density of 790.6 per square mile (305.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 93.92% White, 0.61% African American, 0.39% Native American, 2.21% Asian, 1.40% from other races, and 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.26% of the population.
There were 2,059 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.18.
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