Electrical Trade Schools Kent WA - Find Electrician Training Near You

How to Find the Best Electrician Technical School near Kent Washington

Kent WA electrician working on circuit board The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Kent WA. But with numerous vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are a number of factors to examine. For instance, many students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their residence. When they have found a few that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the only things that should be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications 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 to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are accessible.

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Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options

Kent WA electrician on power line pole There are three general options to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Kent WA. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most typical programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Washington technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take two years to finish and are offered by Washington junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Washington institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed before licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Requirements

Kent WA electrician wiring box Electricians in Kent WA can undertake a multitude of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring 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 duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally around four to five years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be acquired in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails three 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you select not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online

Kent WA student attending electrician school online A possibility that you may have considered is choosing an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Travelling expenses from Kent WA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be accessed on line also. All of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Questions to ask Kent WA electrician schools Now that you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Because there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Kent WA area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are other factors that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to assess before selecting an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Kent WA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Also, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved 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 complete the program. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It might also indicate that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which may 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 additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Kent WA grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician training programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Kent WA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Kent WA electrical contracting company if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Kent home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with some of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Kent WA, check that the schools you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Electrical Trade Schools Kent Washington

Kent WA electricians working on power lines Picking the best electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Trade Schools and wanting more information on the topic Vocational School Electrician. But as we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Each training program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Kent WA.

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Kent, Washington

Kent is a city located in King County, Washington, United States. It is the sixth largest city in the state. Kent is in the heart of the Seattle–Tacoma metropolitan area, located 19 miles south of Seattle and 19 miles northeast of Tacoma. Incorporated in 1890, it is the second oldest incorporated city in King County, after Seattle.[5] Kent's population as of April 2010 was 92,411 according to the 2010 census. The total grew to an estimated 128,458 as of July 1, 2017,[6] owing primarily to annexation.

The Kent area was first permanently settled by European Americans in the early to mid-1850's along the banks of what was then the White River. The first settler was Samuel Russell, who sailed the White and Duamish rivers until he claimed a plot of land southeast of modern-day downtown Kent in the spring of 1853. Russell was followed by several other settlers who quickly staked claims in the area.[7] The settlements were originally known as "White River" and later the town was called "Titusville" after an early settler by the name of James Henry Titus.[8] (There is still a "Titusville Station" sign on Gowe Street near First Avenue). In 1861 a post office was established under the name White River and was located at the farm of David and Irena Neely who settled in modern-day Kent in 1854. In 1855 their farm was attacked by Native Americans when David Neely served as a lieutenant in the Territorial Army. By 1870 the population was 277 and all of the quality bottom-land had been claimed.[9]

Throughout the 1860s and 70's, grain and forage crops such as wheat, barley, oats, hay, and timothy accounted for much of the annual return of farmers in the valley. During the late 1870s the town discovered hops production as a major source of income.[10] Due to an aphid invasion which affected hops crops in Europe,[11] hops from the Puget Sound area began to command high prices. Hops were shipped from Titusville either by the river or via rail. In 1889 the town was renamed for the County of Kent, the major hops-producing region in England. Hops production in the White River valley came to an end soon after its own invasion of aphids in 1891.[12]