How to Become an Electrician in Granville Iowa
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Granville IA. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are so many variables to examine. For example, some prospective students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have found several that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that must be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will cover 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 options that are offered.
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs near Granville IA
There are several approaches to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Granville IA. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are brief descriptions of the 3 most common programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Iowa technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards those who want to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve two years to finish and are provided by Iowa community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Iowa institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Granville IA can carry out a wide range of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally around four to five years of experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be obtained in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 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 pick not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Programs in Granville IA
A possibility that you might have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools are becoming more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more practical choice for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Commuting costs from Granville IA are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Once you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Granville IA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are additional variables that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Granville IA school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you acquire a quality education, it can assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, a number of 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 considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate may signify that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It could also mean that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Granville IA grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Granville IA area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Granville IA electrical company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Granville home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in 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 important that you get as much personalized 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 experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with some of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Granville IA, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Granville IA?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Granville IA area.
Granville, Iowa
As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 312 people, 138 households, and 84 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,075.9 inhabitants per square mile (415.4/km2). There were 161 housing units at an average density of 555.2 per square mile (214.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.7% White, 0.6% African American, 0.3% Asian, 7.4% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.1% of the population.
There were 138 households of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.1% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.82.
The median age in the city was 41.7 years. 23.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.8% were from 45 to 64; and 20.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.9% male and 48.1% female.
Choose the Ideal Electrical Trade School near Granville IA
Selecting the right electrical trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every training program provides different options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you choose is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Granville IA.
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