Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Kannapolis NC 28081

How to Become an Electrician in Kannapolis North Carolina

Kannapolis NC electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Kannapolis NC. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are so many variables to consider. For instance, some potential students will start by searching for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have found several that are within commuting range, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are significant, they are not the sole factors that should be examined. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician 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 accessible.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near Kannapolis NC

Kannapolis NC electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several options to get electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Kannapolis NC. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the 3 most common programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by North Carolina trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who would like to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are provided by North Carolina junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some North Carolina institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites

Kannapolis NC electricians working on power lines Electricians in Kannapolis NC can perform a vast array of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically about four to five years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly assess general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to 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 available vary by state and can be obtained in various specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases involves 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician vocational school that you pick not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might need to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs in Kannapolis NC

attending electrician school online in Kannapolis NC An alternative that you may have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, internet learning may be a more practical choice for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Commuting costs from Kannapolis NC are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Kannapolis NC electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Since there are numerous electrician trade and vocational schools in the Kannapolis NC region, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The first two that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Kannapolis NC program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you acquire a superior education, it can assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate may signify that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It could also mean that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which can mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Kannapolis NC grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Kannapolis NC area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Kannapolis NC electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Kannapolis home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to several of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Kannapolis NC, check that the schools you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Kannapolis NC?

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

Kannapolis, North Carolina

Kannapolis (Kŭh-nă-pŭh-lŭs) is a city in Cabarrus and Rowan counties, in the U.S. state of North Carolina,[1][2] northwest of Concord and northeast of Charlotte and is a suburb[7] in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The city of Kannapolis was incorporated in 1984. The population was 42,625 at the 2010 census,[8] which makes Kannapolis the 20th largest city in North Carolina. It is the home of the Kannapolis Intimidators, the Class A baseball affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, and it is the hometown of the Earnhardt racing family. The center of the city is home to the North Carolina Research Campus, a public-private venture that focuses on food, nutrition, and biotech research.

Early meaning and usage of the city's name was a direct reference to Cannon Mills Corporation, or James William Cannon himself. Early published name variations include "Cannon-opolis" and "Cannapolis". A widely accepted origin of the word "Kannapolis" comes from the combination of the Greek words kanna (reeds, not looms) and polis (city), which some believed meant "City of Looms".[9] Dr. Gary Freeze, Catawba College history and politics department chairman, said a Concord newspaper used the name "Cannon City" in 1906. After mill workers or newspapers called the town "Cannapolis", J.W. Cannon asked Cabarrus County commissioners to give the town the name, but starting with a "K". Kannapolis historian Norris Dearmon said the K might have been to distinguish the town from his Concord mill village. Since, Freeze said, "Jim Cannon didn't study Greek," Cannon did not name the town "city of looms".[10] In 1906 J.W. Cannon purchased the land that later became Kannapolis, and acquired a total of 1,008 acres in Cabarrus and Rowan Counties. Approximately 808 of those acres of farmland, purchased along the historic wagon road between Salisbury and Charlotte, became the location of the new textile mill, Cannon Manufacturing. Cannon Manufacturing began production in 1908. In 1914 Cannon Manufacturing became known as the world’s largest producer of sheets and towels. Shortly after, Mr. Cannon opened plants in Rowan County, Concord and in South Carolina totaling 20,000 workers. Mill founder J.W. Cannon’s youngest son, Charles A. Cannon, consolidated all the separate mills into the giant Cannon Mills Company in 1928.

Kannapolis is located on the boundary of Cabarrus and Rowan counties, with a greater portion of its area in Cabarrus County. U.S. Route 29 (Cannon Boulevard) passes through the city east of the downtown area; U.S. 29 leads northeast 15 miles (24 km) to Salisbury and south 7 miles (11 km) to Concord. Interstate 85 bypasses the city on the south and the east, with access from Exits 54 through 63 (five exits total). I-85 leads northeast 65 miles (105 km) to Greensboro and southwest 21 miles (34 km) to Charlotte.

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Choose the Right Electrician Vocational School near Kannapolis NC

Choosing the ideal electrical trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to launch 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 looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to provide a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program provides unique possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Kannapolis NC.