How to Select the Right Electrician Tech School near Lochmere New Hampshire
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Lochmere NH. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are a number of variables to evaluate. For instance, many students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have located a few that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the least expensive tuition. Although location and cost are significant, they are not the only factors that need to be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your ultimate judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are offered.
Click Here to Get Free Information on Electrician Schools Near You!
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options
There are multiple ways to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Lochmere NH. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are brief explanations of the three most typical programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by New Hampshire vocational and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards students who wish to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are provided by New Hampshire community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some New Hampshire institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Lochmere NH can carry out a multitude of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in various specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you choose not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools
An alternative that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more convenient choice for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving costs from Lochmere NH are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be available on line as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Lochmere NH area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. 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 critical when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have earned 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 relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the Lochmere NH school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states mandate 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 of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate could indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also indicate that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, 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 validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Lochmere NH students obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Lochmere NH area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained 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 technician you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Lochmere NH electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Lochmere home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few of the teachers and find out 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 evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Lochmere NH, check that the programs you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Best Trade School For Electrician Lochmere New Hampshire
Picking the best electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Best Trade School For Electrician and wanting more information on the topic Best Electrician Courses. But as we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each program provides different options for certification also. Perhaps The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Lochmere NH.
More Electric Locations in New Hampshire
Lochmere, New Hampshire
Lochmere is an unincorporated community in the towns of Tilton and Belmont in Belknap County, New Hampshire, in the United States. It is located along U.S. Route 3 and New Hampshire Route 11, which connect the village with Laconia to the northeast and to the center of Tilton and to Franklin to the southwest. It is close to the Winnipesaukee River as it connects the outlet of Winnisquam Lake to the north with Silver Lake to the south.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 22
3 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 3 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
2 Reviews 1 Reviews 
1 Reviews 