How to Select the Best Electrician Technical School near Statesville North Carolina
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Statesville NC. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of points to consider. For example, some students will start by searching for schools that are close to their home. When they have found a few that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are significant, they are not the only things that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are available.
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Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs
There are several approaches to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Statesville NC. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the three most prevalent programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by North Carolina trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are offered by North Carolina community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some North Carolina institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Statesville NC can perform a wide range of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be obtained in various specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 3 levels of proficiency:
- 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 important that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools
An option that you might have contemplated is choosing an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online schools have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance 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 balance of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting expenses from Statesville NC are also reduced and some of the study materials may be available online as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Topics to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Once you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Statesville NC region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we discussed 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 important when making your selection, there are additional variables that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Statesville NC school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you acquire a quality education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states mandate 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 percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate may signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It may also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, 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 affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Statesville NC grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician trade programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Statesville NC 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 build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain 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 on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Statesville NC electrical contracting company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Statesville residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Statesville NC, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.
Online Electrician Training Statesville North Carolina
Picking the right electrical 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 Online Electrician Training and wanting more information on the topic Learn How To Be An Electrician. But as we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world context, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Statesville NC.
More Electric Locations in North Carolina
Statesville, North Carolina
Statesville is a city in Iredell County, North Carolina, United States. Statesville was established in 1789 by an act of the North Carolina Legislature.[4] The population was 24,532 at the 2010 census,[5] and was estimated at 26,506 in 2016.[1] It is the county seat of Iredell County and is part of the Charlotte metropolitan area.[6]
Statesville is in central Iredell County, in the western part of the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Interstate 40 and Interstate 77 intersect in the northeastern part of the city. I-40 leads northeast 41 miles (66 km) to Winston-Salem and west 30 miles (48 km) to Hickory, while I-77 leads north 55 miles (89 km) to the Virginia border and south 42 miles (68 km) to Charlotte. Three U.S. highways run through the center of Statesville. US 21 follows the same general route as I-77, leading north 38 miles (61 km) to Elkin and south 15 miles (24 km) to Mooresville. US 64 runs to the northeast close to I-40, leading 24 miles (39 km) to Mocksville, while to the northwest it leads 43 miles (69 km) to Lenoir. US 70 runs southwest out of Statesville 13 miles (21 km) to Catawba and southeast 25 miles (40 km) to Salisbury.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Statesville has a total area of 24.4 square miles (63.1 km2), of which 24.2 square miles (62.8 km2) are land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2), or 0.48%, are water.[5] The north side of Statesville is drained by Fourth Creek, while the south side is drained by Third Creek. Both creeks flow east, joining just before reaching the South Yadkin River near Cooleemee.
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