Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Galena IL 61036

How to Become an Electrician in Galena Illinois

Galena IL electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Galena IL. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many points to examine. For example, many potential students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found a few that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the sole things that must be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your ultimate decision when picking an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are available.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Galena IL

Galena IL electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple approaches to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Galena IL. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are brief descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by Illinois trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards those who would like to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are offered by Illinois community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Illinois institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites

Galena IL electricians working on power lines Electricians in Galena IL can undertake a multitude of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but usually about four to five years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in numerous specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails three levels of proficiency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Galena IL

attending electrician school online in Galena IL An alternative that you may have considered is enrolling in an electrician online 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 completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning can be a more accommodating alternative for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Driving costs from Galena IL are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed online as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Galena IL 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 so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Galena IL area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other factors that need to be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before selecting an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Galena IL school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive an excellent education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It might also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Galena IL graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical 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 within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Galena IL area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. 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. Otherwise, ask a local Galena IL electrical company if they can give you some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Galena residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to some of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Galena IL, confirm that the programs you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Galena IL?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Galena IL area.

Galena, Illinois

Galena is the largest city in and the county seat of Jo Daviess County, Illinois,[7] with a population of 3,429 at the 2010 census.[7][8] A 581-acre (235 ha) section of the city is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Galena Historic District. The city is named for the mineral galena, which was mined by Native Americans in the area for over a thousand years. Owing to these deposits, Galena was the site of the first major mineral rush in the United States. By 1828, the population was estimated at 10,000, rivaling the population of Chicago at the time. The city emerged as the largest steamboat hub on the Mississippi River north of St. Louis, Missouri. Galena was the home of Ulysses S. Grant and eight other Civil War generals. Today, the city is a tourist destination known for its history, architecture, and resorts.

The city is named for galena,[9] the natural form of lead sulfide (PbS) and the most important lead ore.[10]Native Americans mined the ore for use in burial rituals.[11] The Havana Hopewell first traded galena in the area during the Middle Woodland period (c. 1–400 CE). However, the use of galena in the Havana territory is uncertain; very little has been identified in burial mounds.[12] During the Mississippian period (900–1500 CE), galena saw use as body paint.[13]

The French, probably via contact with the Sioux, first noted lead deposits in the Upper Mississippi Valley in 1658. A 1703 French map identified the northwestern Illinois area as mines de plumb.” [14] Northwestern Illinois was inhabited by Sac and Fox when the French arrived.[2] In the 1690s, French trappers discovered the area and began mining the lead.[1][15] However, conflicts with the Sioux prevented large-scale mining until Julien Dubuque's Mines opened across the river in 1788.[14]

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Pick the Ideal Electrician Trade School near Galena IL

Picking the ideal electrical trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical tech school that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you choose is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Galena IL.