Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Dawsonville GA 30534

How to Become an Electrician in Dawsonville Georgia

Dawsonville GA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Dawsonville GA. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to evaluate. For instance, many students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have identified several that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the sole things that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifications should influence your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Dawsonville GA

Dawsonville GA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple approaches to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Dawsonville GA. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the three most prevalent programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Georgia vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards those who want to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are offered by Georgia community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Georgia colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be completed before licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Requirements

Dawsonville GA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Dawsonville GA can perform a wide range of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around four to five years of experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases includes three 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) 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 delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online in Dawsonville GA

attending electrician school online in Dawsonville GA An option that you may have considered is selecting an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning can be a more practical choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Commuting costs from Dawsonville GA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. All of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Dawsonville GA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Dawsonville GA region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial 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 while all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research before choosing an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Many electrician trade schools 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 a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Dawsonville GA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire an excellent education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Also, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it 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 of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate may indicate that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It may also indicate that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to utilize 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 field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Dawsonville GA grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician training programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Dawsonville GA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment 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, check with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Dawsonville GA electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Dawsonville home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to some of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Dawsonville GA, confirm that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Dawsonville GA?

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

Dawsonville, Georgia

Dawsonville was founded in 1857 as seat of the newly formed Dawson County. It was incorporated as a town in 1859 and as a city in 1952.[6] The community and the county are named for state senator William Crosby Dawson.[7]

The community is at the junction of State Routes 9, 53, and 136. SR 9 leads northeast 14 miles (23 km) to Dahlonega and south 17 miles (27 km) to Cumming, while SR 53 leads southeast 6 miles (10 km) to U.S. Route 19 and west 24 miles (39 km) to Jasper. SR 136 also leads to Jasper, on a 29-mile (47 km) route that runs further to the north through the southern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 619 people, 234 households, and 153 families residing in the city. The population density was 320.9 people per square mile (123.8/km²). There were 257 housing units at an average density of 133.2 per square mile (51.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.58% White, 0.16% Native American, 0.97% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.00% of the population.

The location could not be found.

Select the Right Electrician Tech School near Dawsonville GA

Selecting the right electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are several things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to monitor a few 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 proper training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Dawsonville GA.