Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Steger IL 60475

How to Become an Electrician in Steger Illinois

Steger IL electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Steger IL. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are a number of factors to examine. For example, some potential students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their home. When they have located some that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the only factors that must be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your final judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are accessible.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Steger IL

Steger IL electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several approaches to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Steger IL. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most prevalent programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Illinois trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take 2 years to finish and are provided by Illinois junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Illinois institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed before licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements

Steger IL electricians working on power lines Electricians in Steger IL can perform a multitude 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 completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in various specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails 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 imperative that the electrician trade school that you select not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes in Steger IL

attending electrician school online in Steger IL An alternative that you may have looked at is selecting an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical alternative for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional counterparts. Commuting expenses from Steger IL are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online also. All of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Steger 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 training options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Steger IL region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional factors that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire 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 Steger IL program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get an excellent education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states require 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 considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It could also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Steger IL students secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Steger IL area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained 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, consult with the electrical technician you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Steger IL electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Steger home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with several of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Steger IL, check that the schools you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Steger IL?

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

Steger, Illinois

Steger is a village that straddles the border which separates Cook County and Will County, Illinois[3] (Steger Road is the border line). It is 35 miles (56 km) south of Chicago and had a population at the 2010 census of 9,570.[4]

Steger was founded in 1891 by Chicago real estate interests[6] and initially named Columbia Heights in honor of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition which the City of Chicago had been preparing to host since 1889.[7] The character, financial fortunes and even the name of the community were set immediately thereafter when John Valentine Steger began to build a piano factory there on a parcel of land south of Chicago Heights that was sited immediately west of the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad tracks and bordered by the tracks, Vincennes Avenue (now Chicago Road) and 33rd and 34th Streets. This first building of the complex replaced Steger's original factory which had adjoined his showrooms at Wabash Avenue and Jackson Boulevard in downtown Chicago, which had a capacity of only two pianos per week. This new building was three stories tall, 40 x 225 and designed by the Chicago architectural firm Mayo and Curry to accommodate 200 workers.[8] By 1904 the factory at Steger had grown to cover twenty-three acres and had a capacity of sixteen thousand pianos per year.[9] A piano by the company was displayed at the World's Columbian Exposition, and the instrument was commented on as follows:

The company built exceptionally high quality pianos under several names and in a wide range of prices. They are quite rare today.[11] For a time after 1896, Steger & Sons shared this block with another piano factory which produced instruments for the Smith and Nixon Piano Manufacturing Company of Cincinnati.[12] It is interesting to note under the circumstances that for years after the community officially changed its name in 1896, Smith and Nixon continued to use the name Columbia Heights when referring to the location of its factory in Illinois.[13] Smith and Nixon were gone from the area by 1911.

The location could not be found.

Pick the Right Electrical Vocational School near Steger IL

Selecting the ideal electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program 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 ascertain what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Steger IL.