Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Granite City IL 62040

How to Become an Electrician in Granite City Illinois

Granite City IL electrician inspecting circuit panelThe initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Granite City IL. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many variables to examine. For example, many prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that should be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are offered.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Granite City IL

Granite City IL electrician re-wiring power outletThere are three general ways to get electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Granite City IL. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most common programs offered.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Illinois trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degrees take 2 years to complete and are provided by Illinois junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Illinois institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Guidelines

Granite City IL electricians working on power linesElectricians in Granite City IL can perform a vast array of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be earned in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 3 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 crucial that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools in Granite City IL

attending electrician school online in Granite City ILAn alternative that you might have considered is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs have become more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Driving expenses from Granite City IL are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed online also. Each of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Granite City IL electrician re-wiring circuit panelWhen you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Granite City IL region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we mentioned 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 crucial when making your decision, there are other factors that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical technical school.

Accreditation.  A large number of electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Granite City IL program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you get a quality education, it can assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to qualify 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate may signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It could also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Granite City IL grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Many electrician training programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Granite City IL area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area 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 presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Granite City IL electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Granite City residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to some of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Granite City IL, confirm that the programs you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Granite City IL?

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

Granite City, Illinois

Granite City is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States, within the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. The population was 29,849 at the 2010 census, making it the second largest city in the Metro East and Southern Illinois regions, behind Belleville. Officially founded in 1896, Granite City was named by the Niedringhaus brothers, William and Frederick, who established it as a steel making company town for the manufacture of kitchen utensils made to resemble granite.

The area was settled much earlier than Granite City's official founding. In the early 19th century, settlers began to farm the rich fertile grounds to the east of St. Louis. Around 1801, the area saw the establishment of Six Mile Settlement, a farming area that occupied the area of present-day Granite City, six miles (10 km) from St. Louis.[3] Soon after, around 1806, the National Road was to be constructed through the area, but it was never completed.[3] By 1817, the area became known as Six Mile Prairie, to distinguish it from Six Mile Township.[3] By 1854, the first railroad was built.[4] In 1856, the area known as Six Mile would be changed to Kinder.[4]

Granite City was founded in 1896 to be a planned company city similar to Pullman, Illinois, by German immigrant brothers Frederick G. and William Niedringhaus for their Granite ware kitchen supplies factory.

The location could not be found.

Choose the Right Electrician Technical School near Granite City IL

Choosing the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical training that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every program offers different options for certification as well. Probably The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you pick is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Granite City IL.

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