How to Pick the Right Electrician Technical School near Atlas Michigan
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Atlas MI. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are so many variables to consider. For example, many potential students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located some that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that should be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are offered.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options
There are several ways to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Atlas MI. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Michigan vocational and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who would like to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require two years to finish and are offered by Michigan junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Michigan institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Atlas MI can perform a vast array of functions, such as installing, replacing and testing 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 be licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be earned in various specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually 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 important that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Programs Online
An alternative that you may have considered is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, internet learning might be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Driving expenses from Atlas MI are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
When you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Atlas MI area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Atlas MI program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it can help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states require 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 finish the program. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It could also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher 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 use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Atlas MI students secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Atlas MI area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure 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 expecting. If not, ask a local Atlas MI electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Atlas home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to some of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Atlas MI, confirm that the programs you are considering provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Best Electrician Schools Atlas Michigan
Selecting the best electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Best Electrician Schools and wanting more information on the topic How Many Years Of College To Be An Electrician. But as we have addressed 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 considering includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every program offers unique options for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to go to 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 training program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Atlas MI.
More Electric Locations in Michigan
Atlas Township, Michigan
Atlas Township was organized in 1836 as part of Lapeer County, and was one of the earliest townships in this region to receive settlers. The first settler was Asa Farrar, who, in September, 1839, purchased land on section 18 and built a log house upon it the same year. He was a brother of Pearson Farrar, who settled the same year in Grand Blanc upon an adjacent section. They came from Monroe County, New York. The first birth and the first marriage in the township occurred in Asa Farrar's family, respectively, in 1833 and 1834. The township was detached from Lapeer County and added to Genesee County in 1843.[3]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.0 square miles (93 km2), of which 35.4 square miles (92 km2) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) (1.67%) is water.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 7,257 people, 2,442 households, and 2,053 families residing in the township. The population density was 205.2 per square mile (79.2/km²). There were 2,554 housing units at an average density of 72.2 per square mile (27.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.56% White, 0.33% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.07% of the population.
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