Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Newington CT 06111

How to Become an Electrician in Newington Connecticut

Newington CT electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Newington CT. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are a number of factors to evaluate. For instance, some potential students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have found some that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that should be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are offered.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Newington CT

Newington CT electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several options to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Newington CT. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are short summaries of the 3 most typical programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Connecticut technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are provided by Connecticut junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Connecticut institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites

Newington CT electricians working on power lines Electricians in Newington CT can perform a vast array of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing 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 most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically assess electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving 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 usually entails three levels of competency:

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 crucial that the electrician trade school that you select not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools in Newington CT

attending electrician school online in Newington CT An option that you might have considered is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning can be a more practical choice for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Commuting costs from Newington CT are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be available on line also. All of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Newington CT electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Newington CT region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs 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 a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Newington CT school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire a quality education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing 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 disappointed with the course and quit. It may also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Newington CT grads secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical 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 electrical companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Newington CT area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Newington CT electrical company if they can provide some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Newington residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to several of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Newington CT, confirm that the programs you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Newington CT?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Newington CT area.

Newington, Connecticut

Newington is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. Located 8 miles (13 km) south of downtown Hartford, Newington is an older, mainly residential suburb located in Greater Hartford. As of the 2010 census, the population was 30,562.[2] The Connecticut Department of Transportation has its headquarters in Newington.

Newington has a history of nearly 375 years. While not established officially as a separate town until 1871, settlers from nearby Wethersfield took up residence on the western frontier of their riverside town in 1636. “West Society,” as some called it, was an area rich in timber that was used for pipe staves, barrel-sized containers used for colonial trade. Grand pastures also made the land ideal for herding and grazing cattle. Its inhabitants received land grants from Wethersfield leaders. Known as “West Farms,” the area west of the central portion of Wethersfield became settled by those who were almost exclusively the descendants of the earliest Wethersfield settlers. In 1721, the “western” farmers requested that the General Assembly of the Connecticut Colony give their land the name “Newington” to denote “the new town in the meadow.” The Assembly granted the request, even though it took another 150 years before Newington officially became an incorporated town. The town’s name predates its official existence.

Newington’s motto inscribed on its town seal is “growth and progress,” which it began putting into effect at the end of the eighteenth century. In 1798, the precursor to the Berlin Turnpike was authorized and it changed the complexion of the land by dividing the vast farmlands from the commercial center. Originally called the Hartford and New Haven Turnpike, the route attracted a number of businesses from north to south between Hartford and New Haven.

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Pick the Right Electrician Technical School near Newington CT

Selecting the best electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training program that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each program offers unique options for certification as well. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Newington CT.