Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Great Lakes IL 60088

How to Become an Electrician in Great Lakes Illinois

Great Lakes IL electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Great Lakes IL. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are so many factors to consider. For instance, many students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have identified several that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the only factors that must be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should influence your final decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are available.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near Great Lakes IL

Great Lakes IL electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple ways to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Great Lakes IL. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are short explanations of the three most common programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Illinois trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take 2 years to complete and are provided by Illinois junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Illinois institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be carried out before licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria

Great Lakes IL electricians working on power lines Electricians in Great Lakes IL can carry out a wide range of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally around 4 to 5 years of experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases includes 3 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes in Great Lakes IL

attending electrician school online in Great Lakes IL A possibility that you might have contemplated is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical alternative for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Travelling expenses from Great Lakes IL are also minimized and some of the study materials can be available on line also. All of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Great Lakes IL electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Great Lakes IL area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional variables that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Great Lakes IL school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive a quality education, it may help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved 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 percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It could also indicate that the teachers were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to utilize 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 trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Great Lakes IL graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical businesses or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Great Lakes IL area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school 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 already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Great Lakes IL electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Great Lakes home. Remember that if you decide to attend 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 individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on 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 opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with 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 evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Great Lakes IL, confirm that the schools you are reviewing 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, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Great Lakes IL?

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

Naval Station Great Lakes

Naval Station Great Lakes (NAVSTA Great Lakes) is the home of the United States Navy's only boot camp, located near North Chicago, in Lake County, Illinois. Important tenant commands include the Recruit Training Command, Training Support Center and Navy Recruiting District Chicago. Naval Station Great Lakes is the largest military installation in Illinois and the largest training station in the Navy. The base has 1,153 buildings situated on 1,628 acres (6.59 km2) and has 50 miles (80 km) of roadway to provide access to the base's facilities. Within the naval service, it has several different nicknames, including "The Quarterdeck of the Navy",[2] or the more derogatory "Great Mistakes".[3]

One of the landmarks of the area is Building 1, also known as the clocktower building. Completed in 1911, the building is made of red brick, and has a tower over the third floor of the building. The large parade ground in front of the administration building is named Ross Field.

In 1996, RTC Great Lakes became the Navy's only basic training facility. The Base Realignment and Closure Commission of 1993 resulted in the closure of Naval Training Center San Diego, California and Naval Training Center Orlando, Florida, their associated Recruit Training Commands, and the consolidation of US Navy enlisted recruit training to Great Lakes. Approximately 40,000 recruits pass through Recruit Training Command annually with an estimated 7,000 recruits on board the installation at any time. RTC Great Lakes has been active for over 100 years.

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Select the Right Electrician Tech School near Great Lakes IL

Selecting the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are reviewing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Great Lakes IL.