Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Durham NC 27701

How to Become an Electrician in Durham North Carolina

Durham NC electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Durham NC. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are so many points to consider. For example, some prospective students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located a few that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the only factors that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your final decision when picking an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are offered.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Durham NC

Durham NC electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple ways to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Durham NC. You can choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are brief summaries of the 3 most typical programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by North Carolina vocational and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take two years to complete and are offered by North Carolina junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some North Carolina institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria

Durham NC electricians working on power lines Electricians in Durham NC can undertake a vast array of services, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be earned in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you choose not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Programs in Durham NC

attending electrician school online in Durham NC A possibility that you might have contemplated is selecting an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance 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 remainder of the classes may be attended online, distance learning may be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Driving expenses from Durham NC are also minimized and some of the study materials can be available online as well. All of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Durham NC electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Because there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Durham NC region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other factors that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Durham NC school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you get a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Also, some 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 of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate could signify that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It may also indicate 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 alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Durham NC grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Durham NC area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Durham NC electrical contracting company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Durham 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 charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much personalized instruction 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 witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to some of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Durham NC, confirm that the programs you are comparing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Durham NC?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Durham NC area.

Durham, North Carolina

Durham is a city in and the county seat of Durham County[6] in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population to be 251,893 as of July 1, 2014, making it the 4th-most populous city in North Carolina, and the 78th-most populous city in the United States.[7] Durham is the core of the four-county Durham-Chapel Hill Metropolitan Area, which has a population of 542,710 as of U.S. Census 2014 Population Estimates. The US Office of Management and Budget also includes Durham as a part of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Combined Statistical Area, which has a population of 2,037,430 as of U.S. Census 2014 Population Estimates.[8]

The Eno and the Occoneechi, related to the Sioux and the Shakori, lived and farmed in the area which became Durham. They may have established a village named Adshusheer on the site. The Great Indian Trading Path has been traced through Durham, and Native Americans helped to mold the area by establishing settlements and commercial transportation routes.

In 1701, Durham's beauty was chronicled by the English explorer John Lawson, who called the area "the flower of the Carolinas." During the mid-1700s, Scots, Irish, and English colonists settled on land granted to George Carteret by King Charles I (for whom the Carolinas are named). Early settlers built gristmills, such as West Point, and worked the land.

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Choose the Ideal Electrician Technical School near Durham NC

Selecting the right electrical trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new career. 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 looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world context, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each program offers unique options for certification as well. Probably The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and instructors. Invest some time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Durham NC.