How to Select the Right Electrician Trade School near Northport Michigan
The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Northport MI. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are so many points to evaluate. For example, some students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their residence. After they have found some that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the only factors that must be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should influence your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options
There are three general options to get electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Northport MI. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are brief explanations of the three most common programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Michigan vocational and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are provided by Michigan junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Michigan institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Northport MI can perform a wide range of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally about four to five years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be obtained in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you pick not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes
A possibility that you might have considered is selecting an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical alternative for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting expenses from Northport MI are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be available on line as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Because there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Northport MI region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Northport MI program and school are 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 securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also signify that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high 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 employ 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 industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Northport MI graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Northport MI area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art 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 under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Northport MI electrical company if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Northport residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with some of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Northport MI, verify that the programs you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Electrical Degree Online Northport Michigan
Picking the right electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Degree Online and wanting more information on the topic Vocational Electrician Schools. But as we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a must that any electrician training that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to check out 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 school you decide on is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Northport MI.
More Electric Locations in Michigan
Northport, Michigan
Northport is a village in Leelanau Township within Leelanau County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 526 according to the 2010 U.S. census.[6] When Leelanau County was formed in 1863, Northport served as the first county seat from 1863 to 1883.
In 1848 Michigan suffered from a smallpox epidemic that affected the entire community of people. Chief Peter Waukazoo and Reverend George Smith moved the community as well as the Holland-area [7]Ottawa Mission up to the Leelanau Peninsula on boats or canoes. When the settlers had reached their destination they called it Waukazooville. Deacon Joseph Dame arrived at Waukazooville in 1854 and decided to change the name to Northport at this time.[8]
Northport was the largest town in Leelanau County for quite a while in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Several general stores were built in the town in 1859 which sold items such as cloth, thread, needles, foods, axes, and more. There was no doctor in town at this time so Reverend Smith was called on to deliver babies and help the ill.[8]
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