Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Newark MD 21841

How to Become an Electrician in Newark Maryland

Newark MD electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Newark MD. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the best one? Particularly because there are so many factors to evaluate. For example, some prospective students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have located some that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are significant, they are not the only qualifications that should be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should influence your final decision when picking an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are offered.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Newark MD

Newark MD electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Newark MD. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most common programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Maryland vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards those who would like to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take two years to complete and are offered by Maryland junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Maryland colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites

Newark MD electricians working on power lines Electricians in Newark MD can undertake a vast array of services, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be earned in various specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails 3 levels of competency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you select not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Newark MD

attending electrician school online in Newark MD A possibility that you might have looked at is selecting an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning can be a more convenient alternative for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Commuting expenses from Newark MD are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed online as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Newark MD electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Newark MD area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess before selecting an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Newark MD program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you receive a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also signify that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Newark MD students obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have referring partnerships with Newark MD area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides 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 currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Newark MD electrical contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Newark home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with a few of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Newark MD, check that the programs you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain 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, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Newark MD?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Newark MD area.

Newark Liberty International Airport

Newark Liberty International Airport (IATA: EWR, ICAO: KEWR, FAA LID: EWR), originally Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is the primary airport serving the U.S. state of New Jersey. The airport straddles the boundary between the cities of Elizabeth and Newark, the latter of which is the most populous city in the state.[2] The airport is owned jointly by the cities of Elizabeth and Newark and leased to and operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.[3]

Newark Airport is located 75 miles (121 km) northeast of Philadelphia, 15 miles (24 km) southwest of New York City, and 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Downtown Newark, and is a major airport serving both the New York and Philadelphia metropolitan areas.[a]

Newark serves 50 carriers and is the third-largest hub (after Chicago–O'Hare and Houston–Intercontinental) for United Airlines, which is the airport's largest tenant (operating in all three of Newark's terminals).[5] Newark's second-largest tenant is FedEx Express, whose third-largest cargo hub uses three buildings on two million square feet of airport property.[6] During the 12-month period ending in July 2014, over 68% of all passengers at the airport were carried by United Airlines.[7]

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Enroll in the Ideal Electrical Trade School near Newark MD

Choosing the best electrical trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in duration 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. Every training program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Newark MD.