How to Select the Right Electrician Trade School near Clarkston Michigan
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Clarkston MI. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of variables to evaluate. For example, many potential students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their home. When they have located several that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are important, they are not the only things that must be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your final decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will talk about 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 training options that are offered.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are three general options to get electrician training in a trade or technical school near Clarkston MI. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Michigan technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to complete and are offered by Michigan community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Michigan colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, many students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Clarkston MI can carry out a vast array of functions, 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 most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally around four to five years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be earned in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 3 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 crucial that the electrician trade school that you select not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might need to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Schools Online
An option that you might have contemplated is choosing an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning can be a more accommodating choice for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Travelling expenses from Clarkston MI are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Because there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Clarkston MI area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. 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 selection, there are other variables that need to be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Clarkston MI program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. 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 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 course. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It may also mean that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can result in 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 a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Clarkston MI graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Clarkston MI area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed 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 specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Clarkston MI electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Clarkston residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience 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 attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Clarkston MI, confirm that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Education Required To Be An Electrician Clarkston Michigan
Choosing the right electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Education Required To Be An Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Electrical Trade Schools. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrical training that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Each training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Clarkston MI.
More Electric Locations in Michigan
Clarkston, Michigan
The City of the Village of Clarkston, or Clarkston, is a small city located in Oakland County, Michigan. It is completely surrounded by Independence Township. The city is approximately one half square mile in size. Its population in 2010 was 882.[5]
Squatter Linux Jacox from New York built the first house, a Shanty, in Clarkston in 1830. In 1832, Butler Holcomb built the second house and a sawmill. On December 12, 1840, the Independence post office was transferred to the community and assumed its name.[6] In 1842, the Clark brothers platted a tract of land for a village and gave it the name Clarkston.[7] Clarkston was incorporated in 1884 as a village.[6]
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