Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Pontiac MI 48340

How to Become an Electrician in Pontiac Michigan

Pontiac MI electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Pontiac MI. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are so many points to examine. For instance, some potential students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their home. When they have found several that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the only factors that must be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate decision when picking an electrician 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 training choices that are available.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Pontiac MI

Pontiac MI electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general approaches to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Pontiac MI. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Frequently these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the three most common programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Michigan trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who would like to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are offered by Michigan junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Michigan institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. Therefore, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria

Pontiac MI electricians working on power lines Electricians in Pontiac MI can perform a wide range of functions, including 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 be licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually assess general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes three levels of proficiency:

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 tech school that you select not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes in Pontiac MI

attending electrician school online in Pontiac MI An alternative that you might have looked at is choosing an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. 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. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, internet learning can be a more practical choice for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Driving costs from Pontiac MI are also reduced and some of the study materials may be available online as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Pontiac MI electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Pontiac MI area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, 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 analyze prior to choosing an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Many 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 instance electrical technology. Verify that the Pontiac MI program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you acquire a quality education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, 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 schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It could also signify that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Pontiac MI students acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have referring relationships with Pontiac MI area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools 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 tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Pontiac MI electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Pontiac home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to some of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Pontiac MI, check that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Pontiac MI?

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

Pontiac, Michigan

Pontiac (/ˈpɒntiæk, ˈpɒni-/) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, located in Metro Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County[5] and about 12 miles (19 km) north and slightly west of the Detroit city limits.

Founded in 1818, Pontiac is notably the second European-American organized settlement in Michigan within close proximity to Detroit, second only to Dearborn. It was named after Pontiac, a war chief of the Ottawa people who had occupied the area before the European settlers. The city achieved its widest reputation for its General Motors automobile manufacturing plants of the 20th century, which were the basis of its economy and contributed to the wealth of the region. These included Fisher Body, Pontiac East Assembly (a.k.a. Truck & Coach/Bus), which manufactured GMC products, and the Pontiac Motor Division. In the city's heyday, this was the primary automobile assembly plant where the famed Pontiac cars were produced, a brand that was named after the city. (The Pontiac name was discontinued by General Motors in 2010.) The City of Pontiac also was home to Oakland Motor Car Company, which was acquired by General Motors in 1909.

In 1975, the city built the Pontiac Silverdome, the stadium that hosted the Detroit Lions of the National Football League from 1975 to 2001, when the team returned to Downtown Detroit at Ford Field. Super Bowl XVI was played at the Silverdome in 1982. After 2001, the stadium continued to be used for concerts and other events until it was demolished in 2017.

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Select the Right Electrical Technical School near Pontiac MI

Selecting the best electrician training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every program provides different options for certification as well. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Pontiac MI.