How to Become an Electrician in Decatur Michigan
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Decatur MI. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are so many variables to consider. For example, many prospective students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have located some that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the only qualifications that should be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your ultimate decision when selecting an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Decatur MI
There are multiple options to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Decatur MI. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Michigan technical and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards students who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take 2 years to complete and are provided by Michigan community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Michigan colleges, but are less favored at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites
Electricians in Decatur MI can undertake a vast array of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about four to five years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess 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 identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases includes 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you pick not only furnishes a strong 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 Programs Online in Decatur MI
An option that you might have considered is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning may be a more convenient alternative for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Driving expenses from Decatur MI are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed on line also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
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 Decatur MI region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other factors that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive 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 Decatur MI program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get a quality education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it 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 of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It might also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which may 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 trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Decatur MI students acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Decatur MI area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment 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, talk to the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Decatur MI electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Decatur residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher 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 witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to a few of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Decatur MI, confirm that the programs you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Decatur MI?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Decatur MI area.
Decatur, Michigan
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.43 square miles (3.70 km2), of which 1.35 square miles (3.50 km2) is land and 0.08 square miles (0.21 km2) is water.[1]
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,819 people, 701 households, and 448 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,347.4 inhabitants per square mile (520.2/km2). There were 781 housing units at an average density of 578.5 per square mile (223.4/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 87.6% White, 2.7% African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.1% from other races, and 4.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.4% of the population.
There were 701 households of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.1% were married couples living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.1% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.10.
Choose the Right Electrical Tech School near Decatur MI
Picking the right electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician training that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every program offers different options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Decatur MI.
Other Cool Cities in Michigan
Business Results 1 - 10 of 86
1 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
3 Reviews 