Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Statesville NC 28625

How to Become an Electrician in Statesville North Carolina

Statesville NC electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Statesville NC. But with numerous technical schools to choose from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are a number of factors to evaluate. For instance, many potential students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found several that are within driving distance, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are important, they are not the only things that should be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are offered.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Statesville NC

Statesville NC electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general options to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Statesville NC. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the 3 most typical programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by North Carolina trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards students who would like to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take 2 years to complete and are offered by North Carolina junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain North Carolina institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Criteria

Statesville NC electricians working on power lines Electricians in Statesville NC can perform a wide range of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually assess electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be obtained in many specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually entails 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you select not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Programs in Statesville NC

attending electrician school online in Statesville NC An alternative that you might have looked at is enrolling in an electrician online school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools have become more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, internet learning may be a more accommodating option for students that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Driving costs from Statesville NC are also reduced and some of the study materials can be accessed online also. All of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Statesville NC electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Statesville NC area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other factors that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Statesville NC school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you get an excellent education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some 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 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 low completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It could also indicate that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Statesville NC grads obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician vocational programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical programs 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 referring relationships with Statesville NC area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Statesville NC electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Statesville residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can observe 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 relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

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

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Statesville NC?

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

Statesville, North Carolina

Statesville is a city in Iredell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 24,532 at the 2010 census,[4] and was estimated at 26,506 in 2016.[1] It is the county seat of Iredell County and is part of the Charlotte metropolitan area.[5]

Statesville is in central Iredell County, in the western part of the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Interstate 40 and Interstate 77 intersect in the northeastern part of the city. I-40 leads northeast 41 miles (66 km) to Winston-Salem and west 30 miles (48 km) to Hickory, while I-77 leads north 55 miles (89 km) to the Virginia border and south 42 miles (68 km) to Charlotte. Three U.S. highways run through the center of Statesville. US 21 follows the same general route as I-77, leading north 38 miles (61 km) to Elkin and south 15 miles (24 km) to Mooresville. US 64 runs to the northeast close to I-40, leading 24 miles (39 km) to Mocksville, while to the northwest it leads 43 miles (69 km) to Lenoir. US 70 runs southwest out of Statesville 13 miles (21 km) to Catawba and southeast 25 miles (40 km) to Salisbury.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Statesville has a total area of 24.4 square miles (63.1 km2), of which 24.2 square miles (62.8 km2) are land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2), or 0.48%, are water.[4] The north side of Statesville is drained by Fourth Creek, while the south side is drained by Third Creek. Both creeks flow east, joining just before reaching the South Yadkin River near Cooleemee.

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Pick the Ideal Electrical Vocational School near Statesville NC

Selecting the best electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a necessity that any electrical training program that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Each program offers unique options for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you pick is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Statesville NC.