Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Waukee IA 50263

How to Become an Electrician in Waukee Iowa

Waukee IA electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Waukee IA. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are a number of variables to consider. For instance, many potential students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have identified a few that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are significant, they are not the sole factors that must be evaluated. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are available.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Waukee IA

Waukee IA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general options to get electrician training in a trade or technical school near Waukee IA. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are short descriptions of the three most prevalent programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Iowa technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require two years to complete and are offered by Iowa junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some Iowa institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Guidelines

Waukee IA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Waukee IA can perform a wide range of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of experience is called for before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be acquired in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails three 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you select not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online in Waukee IA

attending electrician school online in Waukee IA A possibility that you may have contemplated is selecting an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools have become more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical alternative for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Commuting expenses from Waukee IA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Waukee IA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once 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 tech and trade schools in the Waukee IA region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional factors that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have earned 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 pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Waukee IA program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It could also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, 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 confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Waukee IA grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Waukee IA area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable 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 instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Waukee IA electrical contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Waukee residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with a few of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Waukee IA, check that the programs you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Waukee IA?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Waukee IA area.

Waukee, Iowa

Waukee is a city in Dallas County, Iowa, United States. The population was 13,790 at the 2010 U.S. Census; a fast growth has been measured since as it is estimated there were 19,284 people living in Waukee in 2016. It is part of the Des Moines – West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Waukee is located at 41°36′32″N 93°51′55″W / 41.60889°N 93.86528°W / 41.60889; -93.86528 (41.608974, -93.865320).[10] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.99 square miles (33.64 km2), of which, 12.97 square miles (33.59 km2) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) is water.[4] It is known for its Waukee Stadium.

Humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. The Köppen climate classification subtype for this climate is "Dfa" (Hot summer, continental climate).[11]

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Select the Right Electrical Technical School near Waukee IA

Choosing the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each program provides different options for certification as well. Perhaps the best means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Waukee IA.