Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Greenville SC 29601

How to Become an Electrician in Greenville South Carolina

Greenville SC electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Greenville SC. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are so many factors to examine. For instance, many potential students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their residence. Once they have found several that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole factors that need to be considered. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are available.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Greenville SC

Greenville SC electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general options to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Greenville SC. 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 common as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are brief summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by South Carolina vocational and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards students who wish to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve two years to complete and are provided by South Carolina junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some South Carolina institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, most students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines

Greenville SC electricians working on power lines Electricians in Greenville SC can carry out a multitude of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly about four to five years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you select not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs in Greenville SC

attending electrician school online in Greenville SC An alternative that you may have considered is enrolling in an online electrician program 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 instance they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be attended online, distance learning can be a more accommodating choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Commuting costs from Greenville SC are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed on line also. All of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Greenville SC electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Greenville SC region, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must satisfy. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze before enrolling in an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Greenville SC program and school are 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 an excellent education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states mandate 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate could suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It may also indicate that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of alumni, which can 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 an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Greenville SC students secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Greenville SC area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the equipment 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 tech you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Greenville SC electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Greenville residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there may be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk to a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Greenville SC, verify that the programs you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Greenville SC?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Greenville SC area.

Greenville, South Carolina

Greenville (/ˈɡriːnvɪl/; locally /ˈɡriːnvəl/) is the largest city in and the seat of Greenville County, South Carolina, United States.[3] The city's mayor is Knox White, who has been in that position since December 1995.[4] With an estimated population of 68,219 as of 2017,[5] it is the sixth-largest city in the state. The population of the surrounding area was 400,492 as of 2010,[6] making it the third-largest urban area in South Carolina as well as the fastest growing. Greenville is the largest city in the Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The MSA had a population of 895,923 in 2017,[7] making it the largest in South Carolina and the third largest in the Carolinas.

Greenville is the largest city in the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Combined Statistical Area, a 10-county region of northwestern South Carolina known as "The Upstate". According to United States Census Bureau, the CSA had a population of 1,459,766 as of 2017,[8] making it the largest CSA in the state. Greenville is located approximately halfway between Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina, along Interstate 85, and its metropolitan area also includes Interstates 185 and 385.

Greenville has gained recognition in various national publications such as CNN Money, which ranked Greenville as one of the "Top 10 Fastest Growing Cities in the U.S." Bloomberg named Greenville the Third Strongest Job Market for 2010; and Forbes named Greenville the 13th Best City for Young Professionals. Greenville also earned the No. 3 slot by Condé Nast Traveler's "Best Small Cities in the U.S." in 2017. Greenville was the fourth fastest-growing city in the United States between 2015 and 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.[9]

The location could not be found.

Select the Ideal Electrical Tech School near Greenville SC

Selecting the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each training program provides different options for certification also. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Greenville SC.