How to Pick the Best Electrician Tech School near Lehigh Iowa
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Lehigh IA. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are so many variables to examine. For example, some students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have identified some that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the only qualifications that must be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are three general ways to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Lehigh IA. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Iowa trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a good 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 Iowa junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Iowa institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be carried out before licensing. Therefore, many students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Lehigh IA can undertake a multitude of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around four to five years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be acquired 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 organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you select not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs
An alternative that you might have considered is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning can be a more accommodating choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Travelling expenses from Lehigh IA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be available online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Once you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Because there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Lehigh IA 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 the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are additional variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may 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 Lehigh IA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training course 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 lower completion rate might suggest that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also indicate that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Lehigh IA graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Lehigh IA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Lehigh IA electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Lehigh home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to a few of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Lehigh IA, check that the schools you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.
I Want To Be An Electrician Lehigh Iowa
Selecting the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in I Want To Be An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Accredited Electrician Schools Online. But as we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical training that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Each training program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you select is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Lehigh IA.
More Electric Locations in Iowa
Lehigh, Iowa
Located in a valley, Lehigh is divided in two by the Des Moines River, unusual for such a small town. Originally the two halves of Lehigh were two separate towns. While the town on the west side of the River was always called Lehigh, the east town was called Slabtown, and a piece of history marks the east side's roots––a sign that hangs over the playground with the words "Slabtown Traders," perhaps alluding to the flea market that occurs there every summer during Lehigh River Days. The "Slabtown Traders" sign was blown over by a gust of wind in the summer of 2010. It survived several floods while being located on River St. Lehigh was surrounded by coal mines until the early 20th century and home to a large clay sewer pipe factory until the 1980s. Dolliver State Park, Brushy Creek State Recreation Area and Woodman Hollow State Preserve are located within a few miles of the town.
Lehigh's first settlers, a Mr. Reed and Mr. Wright, set up a steam sawmill on the site in 1855. Originally, the town was named Slabtown because slabs, scrap from the mill, were used in construction. By 1870, there was a Methodist church and a school, and Oliver Tyson had purchased the mill and expanded it, adding a flour mill. Soon after this, Tyson opened a store.[4] The town was later renamed Lehigh, comparing the local coal veins to those of Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley.[5]
In 1871, W. C. Wilson of Webster City opened a coal mine in Lehigh and formed the Crooked Creek Railroad and Coal Company. The company built a 3-foot gauge rail line from Judd, on the Illinois Central Railroad 8.5 miles south to the mines, including a 370-foot wooden truss bridge across the Des Moines River. The line was later extended to Webster City. By 1894, the company had opened 5 mines, all using longwall mining. The Webster Coal and Land Company operated a mine near Lehigh from 1899 to 1902.[6]
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