How to Choose the Right Electrician Tech School near West Hartford Connecticut
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near West Hartford CT. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are a number of factors to consider. For instance, some prospective students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have located several that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are significant, they are not the sole factors that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your final judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are offered.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are multiple ways to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near West Hartford CT. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Connecticut technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take two years to complete and are provided by Connecticut community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Connecticut colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements
Electricians in West Hartford CT can undertake a vast array of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about four to five years of experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually assess electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be obtained in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases includes three 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 important that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes
An alternative that you may have contemplated is choosing an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, internet learning can be a more accommodating alternative for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Driving expenses from West Hartford CT are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed online as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
When you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Because there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the West Hartford CT area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications 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 degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional factors that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have attained 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. Verify that the West Hartford CT program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate may suggest that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It could also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to instruct 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 list of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist West Hartford CT students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working relationships with West Hartford CT area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local West Hartford CT electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your West Hartford residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to several of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near West Hartford CT, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.
Electrician Courses West Hartford Connecticut
Picking the best electrician 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 Courses and wanting more information on the topic Become Licensed Electrician. But as we have discussed in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are assessing includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Each training program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in West Hartford CT.
More Electric Locations in Connecticut
West Hartford, Connecticut
The town's popular downtown area is colloquially known as "West Hartford Center," or simply "The Center," and is centered on Farmington Avenue and South/North Main Street. West Hartford Center has been the community's main hub since the late 17th century. In 2008, Blue Back Square opened as a new addition to the central area, which includes a bookstore, a movie theater, two parking garages, various physician and medical offices, and several restaurants.
Incorporated as a town in 1854, West Hartford was previously a parish of Hartford, founded in 1672.[2] Among the southernmost of the communities in the Hartford-Springfield Knowledge Corridor metropolitan region, West Hartford is home to University of Hartford and the University of Saint Joseph.
In 2010, Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine listed West Hartford as one of the nation's "10 Great Cities for Raising Families"[3] and ranked it #9 on its "10 Best Cities for the Next Decade" list.[4] Also in 2010, CNN Money ranked West Hartford the 55th best small city in America[5] and Travelandleisure.com called it one of 10 "coolest" suburbs in the nation, and the West Hartford Reservoir off Farmington Avenue "West Hartford's version of Central Park,"[6] noting the town's "vacation-worthy hot spots, with cutting-edge restaurants, great shopping, and plenty of parking."[7]
Business Results 1 - 10 of 124
3 Reviews 
12 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
3 Reviews 
3 Reviews 8 Reviews 
10 Reviews 3 Reviews 
8 Reviews 2 Reviews 