Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Athens GA 30601

How to Become an Electrician in Athens Georgia

Athens GA electrician inspecting circuit panelThe first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Athens GA. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are a number of factors to evaluate. For instance, some potential students will commence by looking for schools that are close to their home. Once they have found several that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. Although cost and location are significant, they are not the only factors that need to be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Athens GA

Athens GA electrician re-wiring power outletThere are multiple ways to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Athens GA. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the three most prevalent programs offered.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Georgia trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards those who want to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are offered by Georgia junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Georgia institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be performed before licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites

Athens GA electricians working on power linesElectricians in Athens GA can undertake a multitude of functions, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings 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 varies by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be acquired in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 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 important that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may need to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes in Athens GA

attending electrician school online in Athens GAA possibility that you may have considered is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning may be a more accommodating choice for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Travelling costs from Athens GA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Athens GA electrician re-wiring circuit panelWhen you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Athens GA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we discussed 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 final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research prior to choosing an electrical trade school.

Accreditation.  A large number of electrician technical programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Athens GA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you get a quality education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate may indicate that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It might also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher 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 use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Athens GA graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Many electrician vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Athens GA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Athens GA electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Athens residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized 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 see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Athens GA, confirm that the programs you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Athens GA?

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

Athens, Georgia

Athens (formally known as Athens-Clarke County) is a consolidated city–county and American college town in the U.S. state of Georgia, about 60 miles northeast from Downtown Atlanta. The University of Georgia, the state's flagship university and a Tier I research institution, is located in Athens and contributed to its initial growth. In 1991, after a vote the preceding year, the original city abandoned its charter to form a unified government with Clarke County, referred to jointly as Athens-Clarke County.[2] As of the 2010 census, the consolidated city-county (including all of Athens-Clarke County except Winterville and a portion of Bogart) had a total population of 115,452; all of Clarke County had a population of 116,714.[3] Athens is the sixth-largest city in Georgia, and the principal city of the Athens-Clarke County, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area,[4] which had a population of 192,541 as of the 2010 census and is a part of the larger Atlanta Metropolitan area.[5] Athens-Clarke County has the smallest geographical area of a county in Georgia.[citation needed]

The city is dominated by a pervasive student culture and music scene centered on Downtown Athens adjacent to the University of Georgia campus.[6] Major music acts associated with Athens include numerous alternative rock bands such as R.E.M., the B-52's, Widespread Panic, and the Indigo Girls.

In the late 18th century, a trading settlement on the banks of the Oconee River called Cedar Shoals stood where Athens is located today. On January 27, 1785, the Georgia General Assembly granted a charter by Abraham Baldwin for the University of Georgia as the first state-supported university. Sixteen years later, in 1801, a committee from the university's board of trustees selected a site for the university on a hill above Cedar Shoals, in what was then Jackson County. On July 25, John Milledge, one of the trustees and later governor of Georgia, bought 633 acres (256 ha) from Daniel Easley and donated it to the university. Milledge named the surrounding area Athens after the city that was home to the Platonic Academy of Plato and Aristotle in Greece.[7]

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Pick the Right Electrical Vocational School near Athens GA

Selecting the right electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician training that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world context, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each program offers unique options for certification also. Probably The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the best one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Athens GA.

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