Find Electrician Schools Near Me in West Hartford CT 05084

How to Become an Electrician in West Hartford Connecticut

West Hartford CT electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near West Hartford CT. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are so many points to consider. For example, many students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. When they have found several that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the sole factors that need to be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are available.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near West Hartford CT

West Hartford CT electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple options to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near West Hartford CT. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are brief descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Connecticut trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to complete and are provided by Connecticut junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Connecticut colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Therefore, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements

West Hartford CT electricians working on power lines Electricians in West Hartford CT can carry out a multitude of services, including 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 the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be obtained in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves 3 levels of competency:

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 tech school that you choose not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Training Classes Online in West Hartford CT

attending electrician school online in West Hartford CT A possibility that you might have looked at is choosing an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning may be a more convenient option for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving costs from West Hartford CT are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be available online also. All of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

West Hartford CT electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the West Hartford CT area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Confirm that the West Hartford CT program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify 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 complete the program. A low completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It might also mean that the teachers were not qualified to instruct 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 directory of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist West Hartford CT graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician trade programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with West Hartford CT area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local West Hartford CT electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your West Hartford home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized 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 experience the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near West Hartford CT, verify that the schools you are comparing provide those choices. 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 policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near West Hartford CT?

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

West Hartford, Connecticut

The town is known for its popular downtown area colloquially known as "West Hartford Center," or simply "The Center," which is centered on Farmington Avenue and South/North Main Street. West Hartford Center has been the community's main hub since the late 17th century. In 2008, Blue Back Square opened as a new addition to the central area.[2] Blue Back includes a bookstore, a movie theater, two parking garages, various physician and medical offices, and several restaurants.

Incorporated as a town in 1854, the town was previously a parish of Hartford, founded in 1672.[3] Among the southernmost of the communities encompassed within the Hartford-Springfield Knowledge Corridor metropolitan region, West Hartford is home to University of Hartford and the University of Saint Joseph.

In 2010, Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine listed West Hartford as one of the nation's "10 Great Cities for Raising Families."[4] In 2010, Kiplinger's ranked West Hartford #9 on its "10 Best Cities for the Next Decade" list.[5] In 2010, CNN Money ranked West Hartford as the 55th best small city in America.[6] In 2010, the national online magazine Travelandleisure.com cited West Hartford as one of 10 "coolest" suburbs in the nation. The magazine called the West Hartford Reservoir off Farmington Avenue "West Hartford's version of Central Park,"[7] and it also noted the town's "vacation-worthy hot spots, with cutting-edge restaurants, great shopping, and plenty of parking."[8]

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Find the Ideal Electrical Tech School near West Hartford CT

Picking the right electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical training that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in West Hartford CT.