How to Become an Electrician in Lake Zurich Illinois

The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Lake Zurich IL. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are so many variables to examine. For example, many students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the sole factors that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your final decision when choosing an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Lake Zurich IL

There are several options to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Lake Zurich IL. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you want to earn certification. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs offered.

• Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Illinois trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who would like to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
• Associate Degree Programs involve two years to complete and are offered by Illinois junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded 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 preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Requirements

Electricians in Lake Zurich IL can carry out a multitude of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically about four to five years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be obtained in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you select not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Lake Zurich IL

An option that you might have considered is selecting an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning may be a more convenient alternative for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting costs from Lake Zurich IL are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

When you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Lake Zurich IL region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. 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 additional variables that must be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation.  Many electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Lake Zurich IL program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire a superior education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates.  Ask the electrician training programs you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It may also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can 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 additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Lake Zurich IL students acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Numerous electrician trade programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Lake Zurich IL area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build 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 using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Lake Zurich IL electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Lake Zurich home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s important that you get 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 observe how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with some of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Lake Zurich IL, confirm that the schools you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, check 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 Lake Zurich IL?

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

Choose the Ideal Electrical Tech School near Lake Zurich IL

Choosing the best electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training program that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every program offers unique options for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Lake Zurich IL.

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