How to Become an Electrician in Lake City Michigan
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Lake City MI. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are so many factors to consider. For instance, some potential students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found a few that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the only qualifications that must be evaluated. Also critical 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 judgment when choosing 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 training choices that are accessible.
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near Lake City MI
There are multiple ways to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Lake City MI. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are short summaries of the 3 most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Michigan trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require two years to finish and are provided by Michigan junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some Michigan institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician License and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Lake City MI can perform a wide range of duties, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around four to five years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically assess electrical theory and general knowledge, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be acquired in several specializations, such as 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 crucial that the electrician trade school that you select not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online in Lake City MI
An option that you might have looked at is choosing an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning may be a more practical option for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Driving expenses from Lake City MI are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools
When you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Lake City MI region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional variables that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make sure that the Lake City MI school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate might 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 essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which can mean more contacts for the school to use 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 field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Lake City MI students secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Lake City MI area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school 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, consult with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Lake City MI electrical contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Lake City residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Lake City MI, verify that the schools you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lake City MI?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Lake City MI area.
Lake City, Michigan
The City of Lake City is a city in and the county seat of Missaukee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 836. Lake City is locally known as the “Christmas Tree Capital,” because of the millions of Christmas trees produced annually.[7][8][9]
The community's first settler, Daniel Reeder, build his cabin on Muskrat Lake, now Lake Missaukee, in 1868. On January 22, 1872, Reeder was the name of post office open and the last name of its first postmaster, Daniel. The county selected Reeder by a one-vote margin as the county seat in 1873. The community became a station of the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad. The community was renamed on January 25, 1877 to Lake City. Lake City was incorporated as a village and platted in 1889. [10] The village became a city in 1932.[7]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.05 square miles (2.72 km2), all land.[1] Lake City derives its name from the three inland lakes in or at the edge of the town, which are Lake Missaukee, Lake Sapphire and Crooked Lake. Each is less than a mile from the other.[7] Home of the Greatest 4th in the north.
Choose the Ideal Electrician Trade School near Lake City MI
Selecting the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician training that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and instructors. Take the time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Lake City MI.
Other Cool Cities in Michigan
Business Results 1 - 10 of 0
