How to Become an Electrician in Hastings Nebraska
The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Hastings NE. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many factors to evaluate. For example, some prospective students will start by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have identified a few that are within commuting range, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that need to be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your final judgment when selecting an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are accessible.
Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near Hastings NE
There are multiple options to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Hastings NE. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Nebraska technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who would like to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are offered by Nebraska community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain Nebraska institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be carried out before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Hastings NE can perform a multitude of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally about four to five years of experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be obtained in various specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician tech school that you pick not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to take in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Training Classes Online in Hastings NE
A possibility that you may have looked at is selecting an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning can be a more accommodating option for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Commuting costs from Hastings NE are also lessened and some of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. Each of these advantages can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Trade Schools
Once you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Hastings NE area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The initial two that we discussed 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 even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional variables that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical tech school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn 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. Make sure that the Hastings NE school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive a superior education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, 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 schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate may signify that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It may also suggest that the instructors 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 more extensive list 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 an excellent reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Hastings NE graduates acquire apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician trade programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical businesses or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Hastings NE area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Hastings NE electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Hastings residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be increased 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 larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with a few of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Hastings NE, confirm that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Hastings NE?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Hastings NE area.
Hastings, Nebraska
Hastings is a city and county seat of Adams County, Nebraska, United States.[5] The population was 24,907 at the 2010 census. It is known as the town where Kool-Aid was invented by Edwin Perkins in 1927, and celebrates that event with the Kool-Aid Days festival every August.[6] Hastings is also known for Fisher Fountain, and during World War II operated the largest Naval Ammunition Depot in the United States.
Hastings was founded in 1872 at the intersection of the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad and the St. Joseph and Denver City Railroad. It was named for Colonel D. T. Hastings of the St. Joseph and Grand Island Railroad, who was instrumental in building the railroad through Adams County.[7][8][9] The area was previously open plain: the Donner party passed through on its way to California in 1846 and a pioneer cemetery marker in Hastings bears an inscription taken from Tamsen Donner's journal: "The country between the Blue and the Platte is beautiful beyond compare. Never have I seen so varied a country so suitable to cultivation."[10] In the 1870s, railroads lured European immigrants to the new state of Nebraska with advertisements. Hastings' first settlers were English, from Liverpool, and were quickly joined by other English, Irish, Germans, Danes, and Germans from Russia.[11]
Between 1872 and 1880, when the population had grown to 2,800, Hastings was a boomtown. Settlers first built sod houses, dugouts, and shanties, then houses and stores. The city was incorporated in April 1874, and in September 1878, after a five-year Great County Seat War, the county seat was transferred to Hastings from Juniata.[12] However, a fire in 1879 destroyed 33 buildings downtown. The city was rebuilt between 1880 and 1890 in fireproof materials and in a more planned fashion, with characteristically ornate Victorian buildings, many designed by Charles C. Rittenhouse, the first practicing architect in Adams County and also mayor for ten years.[13] Thanks to the railroads, the city enjoyed great prosperity during the Gilded Age. The population grew to 13,500.[14] This period of expansion ended with the drought and agricultural depression of the 1890s; the town's population fell to 7,000 and would not reach 15,000 until 1930.[citation needed]
Select the Ideal Electrical Tech School near Hastings NE
Choosing the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length 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. Each program offers different options for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Hastings NE.
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