Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Alpharetta GA 30004

How to Become an Electrician in Alpharetta Georgia

Alpharetta GA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Alpharetta GA. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are so many variables to examine. For instance, many prospective students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their home. When they have identified several that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the sole qualifications that must be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are accessible.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Alpharetta GA

Alpharetta GA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several options to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Alpharetta GA. You can select 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 other three options. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most common programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by Georgia vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards those who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take 2 years to finish and are offered by Georgia community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Georgia colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines

Alpharetta GA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Alpharetta GA can perform a wide range of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually 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 differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be obtained in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails three 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you pick not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Alpharetta GA

attending electrician school online in Alpharetta GA An alternative that you may have considered is choosing an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning can be a more convenient choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Driving costs from Alpharetta GA are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available online also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Alpharetta GA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Alpharetta GA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are other factors that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Alpharetta GA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it 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 of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It might also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which may mean 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 trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Alpharetta GA graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Alpharetta GA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Alpharetta GA electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Alpharetta residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with several of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Alpharetta GA, confirm that the schools you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Alpharetta GA?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Alpharetta GA area.

Alpharetta, Georgia

Alpharetta is a city located in northern Fulton County, Georgia, United States and is a suburb of Atlanta. As of the 2010 census, Alpharetta's population was 57,551.[3] The estimated population in 2017 was 65,799.[1]

In the 1830s, the Cherokee people in Georgia and elsewhere in the South were forcibly relocated to the Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) under the Indian Removal Act. Pioneers and farmers later settled on the newly vacated land, situated along a former Cherokee trail stretching from the North Georgia mountains to the Chattahoochee River.[4]

One of the first permanent landmarks in the area was the New Prospect Camp Ground (also known as the Methodist Camp Ground), located beside a natural spring near what is now downtown Alpharetta.[4] It later served as a trading post for the exchanging of goods among settlers.[4]

The location could not be found.

Select the Ideal Electrician Tech School near Alpharetta GA

Picking the right electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrician training that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every program provides unique options for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Alpharetta GA.