How to Become an Electrician in Warrensburg Illinois
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Warrensburg IL. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are a number of factors to evaluate. For example, some students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will decide on the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole things that need to be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when selecting an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are offered.
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Warrensburg IL
There are several ways to get electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Warrensburg IL. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable 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 mandated by the majority of states to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are short summaries of the 3 most typical programs available.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Illinois vocational and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards students who would like to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to finish and are offered by Illinois community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Illinois colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria
Electricians in Warrensburg IL can undertake a wide range of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be acquired in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves three levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you select not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online in Warrensburg IL
An option that you may have considered is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning can be a more convenient alternative for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Travelling expenses from Warrensburg IL are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line also. All of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Warrensburg IL region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other factors that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess before choosing an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Warrensburg IL school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Also, 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 reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and quit. It could also signify that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to employ 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 field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Warrensburg IL students secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician trade programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Warrensburg IL area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Warrensburg IL electrical company if they can provide some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Warrensburg home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much personalized 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 witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Warrensburg IL, check that the schools you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Warrensburg IL?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Warrensburg IL area.
Warrensburg, Illinois
Warrensburg is a village in Macon County, Illinois, United States whose population was 1,289 at the 2000 census, and 1,160 in 2009. It is included in the Decatur, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. Warrensburg was established in 1841.
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 1,289 people, 500 households, and 364 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,900.6 people per square mile (731.9/km²). There were 527 housing units at an average density of 777.0 per square mile (299.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.67% White, 0.62% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.08% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.47% of the population.
There were 500 households out of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.6% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.2% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.03.
Find the Right Electrical Trade School near Warrensburg IL
Picking the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in length 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. Each training program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Warrensburg IL.
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