Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Grand Rapids MI 49501

How to Become an Electrician in Grand Rapids Michigan

Grand Rapids MI electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Grand Rapids MI. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are a number of factors to evaluate. For instance, many prospective students will start by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have identified several that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the least expensive tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole things that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your ultimate decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are offered.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Grand Rapids MI

Grand Rapids MI electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple options to get electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Grand Rapids MI. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Bellow are short explanations of the 3 most typical programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Michigan technical and trade schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards those who want to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take 2 years to complete and are provided by Michigan junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Michigan colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites

Grand Rapids MI electricians working on power lines Electricians in Grand Rapids MI can undertake a wide range of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally around four to five years of practical experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually assess electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be acquired in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician tech school that you choose not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online in Grand Rapids MI

attending electrician school online in Grand Rapids MI An alternative that you may have contemplated is choosing an online electrician program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools have become more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more convenient choice for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Driving costs from Grand Rapids MI are also reduced and some of the study materials may be available on line as well. Each of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Grand Rapids MI electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Grand Rapids MI area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial 2 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 even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, 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 before choosing an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Grand Rapids MI program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you acquire a superior education, it may assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it 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 indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It might also signify that the teachers were not qualified to instruct 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 may mean 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 a good reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Grand Rapids MI graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Grand Rapids MI area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Grand Rapids MI electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Grand Rapids residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one 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 observe how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with several of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Grand Rapids MI, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Grand Rapids MI?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Grand Rapids MI area.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Grand Rapids is the second-largest city in Michigan, and the largest city in West Michigan. It is on the Grand River about 30 miles (48 km) east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 1,005,648, and the combined statistical area of Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland had a population of 1,321,557. Grand Rapids is the county seat of Kent County.[7]

A historic furniture-manufacturing center, Grand Rapids is home to five of the world's leading office furniture companies, and is nicknamed Furniture City. Its more common modern nickname of River City[by whom?] refers to the landmark river for which it was named. The city and surrounding communities are economically diverse, based in the health care, information technology, automotive, aviation, and consumer goods manufacturing industries, among others.

For thousands of years, succeeding cultures of indigenous peoples occupied the area. Over 2000 years ago, people associated with the Hopewell culture occupied the Grand River Valley.[9] Later, a tribe from the Ottawa River traveled to the Grand River valley, fighting three battles with the Prairie Indians who were established in the area.[10] The tribe later split, with the Chippewas settling in the northern lower peninsula, the Pottawatomies staying south of the Kalamazoo River and the Ottawa staying in central Michigan.[10]

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Pick the Ideal Electrician Technical School near Grand Rapids MI

Picking the best electrician trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the type of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you choose is the right one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Grand Rapids MI.