How to Pick the Best Electrician Technical School near Grand Rapids Michigan
The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Grand Rapids MI. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many variables to evaluate. For example, many students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located some that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the only factors that must be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final decision when picking an electrician school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options
There are several options to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Grand Rapids MI. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are brief explanations of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Michigan trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to finish and are offered by Michigan community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Michigan institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Grand Rapids MI can undertake a multitude of duties, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be earned in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails three 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 important that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
A possibility that you may have looked at is choosing an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs have become more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Just about 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 an added benefit numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Commuting expenses from Grand Rapids MI are also reduced and some of the study materials may be accessed online also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Once you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Grand Rapids MI area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research before choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Grand Rapids MI school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you acquire a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, a number of 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Grand Rapids MI grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Grand Rapids MI area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies employment 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 trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Grand Rapids MI electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Grand Rapids home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in 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 receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to some of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Grand Rapids MI, check that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Certified Electrician School Grand Rapids Michigan
Picking the best electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new career. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Certified Electrician School and wanting more information on the topic Night School Electrical Courses. But as we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training program that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers different options for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Grand Rapids MI.
More Electric Locations in Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is the second-largest city in Michigan and the largest city in West Michigan. It is on the Grand River about 30 miles (48 km) east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 1,005,648, and the combined statistical area of Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland had a population of 1,321,557. Grand Rapids is the county seat of Kent County.[7]
A historic furniture-manufacturing center, Grand Rapids is home to five of the world's leading office furniture companies, and is nicknamed "Furniture City". It's also been called "River City". Its more common modern nickname of "Beer City"" was given by USA Today[8] and adopted by the city.[9] The city and surrounding communities are economically diverse, based in the health care, information technology, automotive, aviation, and consumer goods manufacturing industries, among others.
Grand Rapids is the childhood home of U.S. President Gerald Ford, who is buried with his wife Betty on the grounds of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in the city.[10] The city's main airport and one of its freeways are also named after him.
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