How to Find the Best Electrician Tech School near Urbana Ohio
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Urbana OH. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are so many variables to examine. For example, many students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their home. Once they have found a few that are within driving range, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the only factors that should be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are available.
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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs
There are multiple ways to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Urbana OH. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Ohio trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require two years to finish and are provided by Ohio junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Ohio institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be carried out before licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Urbana OH can carry out a vast array of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally around four to five years of practical experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be earned in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician tech school that you select not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes
A possibility that you may have looked at is choosing an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs have become more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, distance learning may be a more convenient option for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Driving costs from Urbana OH are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.
What to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
When you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Urbana OH area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional factors that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Urbana OH program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire a quality education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order 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 or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might 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 also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can produce 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 a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Urbana OH students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Urbana OH area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained 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 specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Urbana OH electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Urbana home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to some of the students and get their feedback regarding 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 assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Urbana OH, confirm that the schools you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Trade School For Electrician Urbana Ohio
Choosing 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 Trade School For Electrician and wanting more information on the topic How Many Years To Become An Electrician. But as we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Each program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Probably The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Urbana OH.
More Electric Locations in Ohio
Urbana, Ohio
Urbana is a city in and the county seat of Champaign County, Ohio, United States,[6] 47 miles (76 km) west of Columbus. Urbana was laid out in 1805, and for a time in 1812 was the headquarters of the Northwestern army during the War of 1812. It is the burial place of the explorer and Indian fighter Simon Kenton.
Champaign County was formed on February 20, 1805 following the American Revolution and the Northwest Indian War. Colonel William Ward, a Virginian who had settled in the Mad River Valley with Simon Kenton in 1799, purchased 160 acres which he considered the logical and most acceptable site for Champaign's county seat. He approached the county commissioners with a proposition to locate the seat of the new county on this tract. Ward suggested that site to divided into 212 lots and 22 out-lots, half of which, selected alternately, were to be given to the county and while Ward would retain the remainder. Ward also offered two lots for a cemetery and a tract for the public square. The county commissioners approved the proposal, and Ward, with Joseph C. Vance, entered into a written agreement on October 11, 1805. Ward and Vance named the new county seat, Urbana.[7]
The origin of the name 'Urbana' is unclear, however, it is thought that Ward and Vance used the Latin word 'urbs', which means city.[8] Antrim provides the following theory: "It is said by some that Mr. Ward named the town from the word Urbanity, but I think it is quite likely he named it from an old Roman custom of dividing their people into different classes – one class, the Plebeians, and this again divided into two classes – Plebs Rustica and Plebs Urbana. The Plebs Rustica lived in the rural districts and were farmers, while the Plebs Urbana lived in villages and were mechanics and artisans."[9] Others feel that Ward and Vance chose to name it from a town in Virginia, possibly Urbanna, but this seems unlikely. Urbanna means 'City of Anne' and was named for the English queen. It is more likely that two Revolutionary War veterans would turn to Latin rather than honor their former foe. A review in 1939 shows that of the 12 cities in the United States named "Urbana", the city in Ohio was the first.[10]
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