How to Become an Electrician in Westville Illinois
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Westville IL. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are so many variables to consider. For instance, many students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their residence. When they have found some that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. While location and cost are important, they are not the only things that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should influence your final judgment when choosing an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Westville IL
There are several options to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Westville IL. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you want to earn certification. Bellow are short summaries of the 3 most typical programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Illinois trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are provided by Illinois community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain Illinois colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Westville IL can carry out a wide range of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be acquired in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails 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) 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 educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools in Westville IL
A possibility that you might have looked at is choosing an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes may be attended online, internet learning may be a more practical option for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Driving costs from Westville IL are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be accessed on line as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
Now that you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Westville IL region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed 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 while all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional factors that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Westville IL school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get an excellent education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate could suggest that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It may also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive 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 will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Westville IL grads secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Westville IL area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed 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 tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Westville IL electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Westville home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk 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. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools 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 Westville IL, check that the schools you are considering 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, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Westville IL?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Westville IL area.
Westville, Illinois
Westville is a village in Georgetown Township, Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Danville, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,175 at the 2000 census, and 2,972 in 2009.
The town was laid out in May 1873 by William P. and Elizabeth A. West, although it started out as a station on the Danville and Southwestern Railroad, and there had been settlements in this area prior to the platting. The first known settler was Moses Scott, who purchased land and built a structure in 1827. The post office was established on January 12, 1874.[4] Telephone lines were first installed in 1900, and electricity arrived in 1901.
During its early days, Westville had many immigrants who lived separately in their own neighborhoods that evoked the tastes, smells, and sounds of different cultures in each neighborhood; the town was known as a "Little Chicago" as it mirrored the different cultures there. Today, many people still carry on the Eastern European names of their ancestors, though it has become more integrated.
Choose the Ideal Electrical Vocational School near Westville IL
Picking the right electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each training program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you pick is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Westville IL.
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