Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Rockton IL 61072

How to Become an Electrician in Rockton Illinois

Rockton IL electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Rockton IL. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are so many points to consider. For example, some students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have found some that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the least expensive tuition. While cost and location are important, they are not the sole qualifications that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician school. We will discuss 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 instructional choices that are offered.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Rockton IL

Rockton IL electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several approaches to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Rockton IL. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Often these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most typical programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Illinois vocational and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who would like to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take two years to finish and are provided by Illinois junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Illinois institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites

Rockton IL electricians working on power lines Electricians in Rockton IL can undertake a vast array of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically test electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be obtained in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves 3 levels of competency:

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 important that the electrician trade school that you select not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Programs in Rockton IL

attending electrician school online in Rockton IL An alternative that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Travelling costs from Rockton IL are also reduced and some of the study materials may be accessed online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Rockton IL electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Rockton IL region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to selecting an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Rockton IL program and school 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 an excellent education, it can help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved 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 complete the course. A low completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It could also mean that the teachers were not competent 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 directory of alumni, which can result in 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 industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Rockton IL graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Rockton IL area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Rockton IL electrical company if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Rockton home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor 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 feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Rockton IL, confirm that the programs you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Rockton IL?

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

Rockton, Illinois

Rockton is a village in Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. It is located in the Rock River Valley and is part of the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,685 at the 2010 census, up from 5,296 at the 2000 census.

According to the 2010 census, Rockton has a total area of 5.708 square miles (14.78 km2), of which 5.5 square miles (14.24 km2) (or 96.36%) is land and 0.208 square miles (0.54 km2) (or 3.64%) is water.[5]

Native American tribes originally inhabited the region. Stephen Mack, Jr. was the first white settler in the Rockton area. He was married to Hononegah, a respected Native American woman from one of the surrounding tribes. His original outpost (c. 1830s) eventually became Macktown. William Talcott arrived to the area later and, after a disagreement with Mack, settled on the other side of the nearby river within the present village of Rockton. Citizens who lived in Macktown would frequently travel across the river to Rockton but in 1851, the bridge from Macktown to Rockton washed away. The bridge had been built with funding from Stephen Mack and its destruction, along with Mack's death in 1850, led citizens to permanently move to Rockton.[6] In northern Illinois, Macktown is the only community from the 1830s that is still standing without subsequent development.[7]

The location could not be found.

Enroll in the Right Electrical Tech School near Rockton IL

Picking the right electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers unique options for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you pick is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Rockton IL.