Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Collingswood NJ 08108

How to Become an Electrician in Collingswood New Jersey

Collingswood NJ electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Collingswood NJ. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are a number of points to examine. For instance, some students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. Once they have located a few that are within driving distance, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole things that should be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are available.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Collingswood NJ

Collingswood NJ electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general approaches to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Collingswood NJ. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most common programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by New Jersey trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are provided by New Jersey community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at certain New Jersey institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out before licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites

Collingswood NJ electricians working on power lines Electricians in Collingswood NJ can carry out a wide range of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically about 4 to 5 years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be obtained in numerous specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves three levels of competency:

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 important that the electrician vocational school that you select not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may need to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools in Collingswood NJ

attending electrician school online in Collingswood NJ An alternative that you may have contemplated is choosing an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning can be a more convenient choice for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit many online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Travelling costs from Collingswood NJ are also lessened and some of the study materials may be accessed online as well. Each of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Collingswood NJ electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Collingswood NJ area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional variables that must be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Collingswood NJ school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you obtain a superior education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states require 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate may suggest that students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. It may also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, 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 a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Collingswood NJ students acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician trade programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Collingswood NJ area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to form 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 already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Collingswood NJ electrical company if they can give you some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Collingswood home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to a few 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 handle your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Collingswood NJ, confirm that the schools you are comparing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, 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 Collingswood NJ?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Collingswood NJ area.

Collingswood, New Jersey

Collingswood is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States, located 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Center City, Philadelphia.[20] As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 13,926,[9][10][11] reflecting a decline of 400 (-2.8%) from the 14,326 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 963 (-6.3%) from the 15,289 counted in the 1990 Census.[21]

Owing in part to its Quaker history, Collingswood was founded as a dry town where alcohol cannot be sold, however restaurant patrons are permitted to bring their own wine and beer to consume.[22][23] In July 2015, the town introduced an ordinance that will allow craft breweries to operate in the town but not serve food. The ordinance is expected to be passed in August 2015.[24] Under the terms of a limited license, Devil's Creek Brewery opened a tasting room in May 2016 where beers made by the microbrewery are available for sale to the public.[25] A state ordinance also allows select restaurants to serve wine produced by New Jersey vineyards.

The land in what is present day Collingswood was originally inhabited by Lenni Lenape Native Americans. Quakers from England and Ireland settled along Newton Creek and Cooper River in the late 17th Century, establishing what was known as the Newton Colony and eventually Newton Township. Much of what is now Collingswood was a farm owned by members of the Collings family during the 18th and 19th Centuries. Later a section of Haddon Township, Collingswood was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 22, 1888, based on the results of a referendum held that same day.[26] That same year, town resident Edward Collings Knight, a wealthy dentist, donated the land that became Knight Park. Knight was a descendant of the Collings family for whom the borough is named.[27][28][29]

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Enroll in the Ideal Electrical Tech School near Collingswood NJ

Choosing the ideal electrical training program will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each program provides unique options for certification also. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Collingswood NJ.