Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Delaware OH 43015

How to Become an Electrician in Delaware Ohio

Delaware OH electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Delaware OH. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you undertake making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many points to consider. For example, many prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their residence. After they have located a few that are within driving range, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the only qualifications that need to be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your ultimate judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will address 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 educational options that are offered.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Delaware OH

Delaware OH electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Delaware OH. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Bellow are short explanations of the three most prevalent programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Ohio technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are offered by Ohio junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Ohio colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 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 academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Requirements

Delaware OH electricians working on power lines Electricians in Delaware OH can carry out a multitude of functions, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing 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 about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is called for before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes 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 tech school that you pick not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools in Delaware OH

attending electrician school online in Delaware OH A possibility that you may have contemplated is choosing an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more practical option for individuals that have minimal time for education. And as an added benefit many online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling costs from Delaware OH are also reduced and some of the study materials may be available online as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Delaware OH electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Delaware OH area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional factors that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician vocational programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Delaware OH program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you acquire a superior education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, a number of states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It could also mean that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Delaware OH students secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician trade programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Delaware OH area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment 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, talk to the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Delaware OH electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Delaware residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized instruction 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 large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Delaware OH, verify that the programs you are comparing provide 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 protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Delaware OH?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Delaware OH area.

Delaware, Ohio

Delaware is a city in and the county seat of Delaware County, Ohio, United States.[4] Delaware was founded in 1808 and was incorporated in 1816. It is located near the center of Ohio, is about 30 miles (48 km) north of Columbus, and is part of the Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area. The population was 34,753 at the 2010 census, while the Columbus-Marion-Chillicothe, OH Combined Statistical Area has 2,002,604 people.[5]

While the city and county of Delaware are named for the Delaware tribe,[6] the city of Delaware itself was founded on a Mingo village called Pluggy's Town. The first recorded settler was Joseph Barber in 1807. Shortly after other men started settling in the area (according to the Delaware Historical Society)- Moses Byxbe, William Little, Solomon Smith, and Elder Jacob Drake, Thomas Butler, and Ira Carpenter began building in the area. In 1808, Moses Byxbe built the first framed house on William Street.[7] On March 11, 1808, a plan of the city was filed, marking the official founding of the town. Byxbe and the others planned the city to be originally on the east bank of the river, but was switched to the west bank only a few days after the first plan was filed.

Even though Delaware was still a small community, in 1812, when the capital of Ohio was moved from Chillicothe, Delaware and Columbus were both in the running and Delaware lost by a single vote to Columbus.[8] However, following the War of 1812, settlers began arriving in Delaware in greater numbers. Among some of the earliest settlers were the parents of Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th President of the United States. The Hayes home no longer stands, but a historical marker in front of a BP station marks the location.

The location could not be found.

Find the Ideal Electrical Vocational School near Delaware OH

Choosing the ideal electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the type of credential provided, so you will need to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best fulfill your needs. Every program provides unique options for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the school you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Delaware OH.