Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Joliet IL 60431

How to Become an Electrician in Joliet Illinois

Joliet IL electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Joliet IL. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are so many points to examine. For instance, some students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have identified some that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the sole qualifications that must be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are accessible.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near Joliet IL

Joliet IL electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general approaches to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Joliet IL. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most common programs available.

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

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Illinois colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Prerequisites

Joliet IL electricians working on power lines Electricians in Joliet IL can carry out a multitude of functions, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around four to five years of experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be obtained in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you enroll in not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools in Joliet IL

attending electrician school online in Joliet IL A possibility that you might have contemplated is selecting an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning can be a more accommodating option for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Commuting costs from Joliet IL are also reduced and some of the study materials may be accessed online as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Joliet IL electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Since there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Joliet IL region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other variables that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Joliet 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 make certain that you obtain a superior education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states require 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It could also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Joliet IL graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Joliet IL area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Joliet IL electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Joliet residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger 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 teachers. Talk to a few of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the teachers 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 schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Joliet IL, confirm that the schools you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Joliet IL?

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

Joliet, Illinois

Joliet (/ˈdʒoʊliɛt, dʒoʊliˈɛt/) is a city in Will and Kendall counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County and a major part of the southwest Chicago metropolitan area.[6] At the 2010 census, the city was the fourth largest in Illinois, with a population of 147,433.[2][7] A population estimate in 2018 put Joliet's population at 150,495, which would make it the 3rd largest city in Illinois if accurate.[3]

In 1673, Louis Jolliet, along with Father Jacques Marquette, paddled up the Des Plaines River and camped on a huge mound, a few miles south of present-day Joliet.[7] Maps from Jolliet's exploration of the area,[citation needed] placed a large hill or mound on what is now the southwest corner of the city, since there is no point that is farther southwest. That hill was named Mound Jolliet. The spot was mined by early settlers and is now a depression.

In 1833, following the Black Hawk War, Charles Reed built a cabin along the west side of the Des Plaines River. Across the river in 1834, James B. Campbell, treasurer of the canal commissioners, laid out the village of "Juliet", named after his daughter.[8] Just before the economic depression of 1837, Juliet incorporated as a village, but to cut tax expenses, Juliet residents soon petitioned the state to rescind that incorporation. In 1845, local residents changed the community's name from "Juliet" to "Joliet". Joliet was reincorporated as a city in 1852. Cornelius Covenhoven Van Horne was active in getting the city its first charter, and because of this he was elected Joliet's first Mayor. When the city later built a new bridge it was named The Van Horne Bridge.[9]

The location could not be found.

Enroll in the Ideal Electrician Technical School near Joliet IL

Choosing the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers different options for certification also. Probably The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Joliet IL.