Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Jacksonville NC 28540

How to Become an Electrician in Jacksonville North Carolina

Jacksonville NC electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Jacksonville NC. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly since there are a number of factors to examine. For example, many potential students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have identified a few that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though cost and location are important, they are not the sole factors that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional options that are available.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Jacksonville NC

Jacksonville NC electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several options to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Jacksonville NC. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are brief summaries of the three most common programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by North Carolina trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards those who would like to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require two years to finish and are provided by North Carolina community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some North Carolina colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites

Jacksonville NC electricians working on power lines Electricians in Jacksonville NC can undertake a multitude of tasks, including installing, replacing and testing 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 most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally around 4 to 5 years of experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams typically assess electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be earned in many specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 3 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician tech school that you select not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Programs Online in Jacksonville NC

attending electrician school online in Jacksonville NC An alternative that you might have considered is selecting an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning can be a more convenient choice for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Driving costs from Jacksonville NC are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be available online as well. All of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Jacksonville NC electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Jacksonville NC area, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are other variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Jacksonville NC school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate may suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It may also signify that the teachers 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 more extensive directory of alumni, which may 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 industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Jacksonville NC graduates obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Jacksonville NC area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Jacksonville NC electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Jacksonville home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in larger 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 opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Jacksonville NC, verify that the programs you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Jacksonville NC?

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

Jacksonville, North Carolina

Jacksonville is a city in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the population stood at 70,145, which makes Jacksonville the 14th largest city in North Carolina.[4] Jacksonville is the principal city of Onslow County and is included in the Jacksonville, North Carolina metropolitan area. In 2014, Forbes magazine ranked Jacksonville as the fifth fastest-growing small city in the United States.[5] Demographically, Jacksonville is the youngest city in the United States with an average age of 22.8 years old, which can be attributed to the large military presence. The low age may also be in part due to the population drastically going up over the past 80 years, from a mere 783 in the 1930 census to 70,145 in the 2010 census.[6]

It is the county seat of Onslow County,[7] and the home of the United States Marine Corps' Camp Lejeune and New River Air Station. Jacksonville is located adjacent to North Carolina's Southern Outer Banks (SOBX) area.

On 21 June 2016, the City of Jacksonville, NC, became the first jurisdiction to adopt a paid holiday honoring the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution which made slavery in the United States and its territories illegal. The resolution of adoption targets the prevention of the modern slavery epidemic in the form of human trafficking, which includes forcing children to engage in labor and combat.

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Choose the Ideal Electrician Tech School near Jacksonville NC

Choosing the best electrical trade school will probably be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each program provides different options for certification as well. Perhaps The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you pick is the best one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Jacksonville NC.