Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Lexington SC 29071

How to Become an Electrician in Lexington South Carolina

Lexington SC electrician inspecting circuit panelThe initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Lexington SC. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially because there are so many points to consider. For instance, many students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have located several that are within driving range, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant, they are not the only things that should be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should influence your ultimate decision when picking an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are available.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Lexington SC

Lexington SC electrician re-wiring power outletThere are several options to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Lexington SC. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are short summaries of the 3 most common programs available.

  • Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by South Carolina trade and technical schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards students who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are provided by South Carolina community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at some South Carolina colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be carried out before licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria

Lexington SC electricians working on power linesElectricians in Lexington SC can perform a vast array of duties, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally around four to five years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be obtained in many specializations, such as 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 organizations 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 trade school that you select not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online in Lexington SC

attending electrician school online in Lexington SCAn alternative that you may have contemplated is choosing an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Although online schools have become more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning can be a more convenient option for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Travelling expenses from Lexington SC are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be accessed 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 deal with in our due diligence checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Lexington SC electrician re-wiring circuit panelOnce you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Lexington SC area, it’s essential to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first two that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, 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 also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze before choosing an electrical tech school.

Accreditation.  A large number of electrician vocational programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Lexington SC school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved 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 or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It could also indicate that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Lexington SC students obtain 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 schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Lexington SC area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained 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, consult with the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Lexington SC electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Lexington home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to some of the students and get their feedback relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Lexington SC, confirm that the programs you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lexington SC?

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

Lexington, South Carolina

Lexington is the largest town in and the county seat of Lexington County, South Carolina, United States.[7] Lexington is a suburb of the state's capital and second-largest city, Columbia. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated 2017 population is 21,265,[8] and it is the second-largest municipality in the greater Columbia area.

In 1735, the colonial government of King George II established eleven townships in backcountry South Carolina, to encourage settlement, and to provide a buffer between Native American tribes to the West and colonial plantations in the Lowcountry. The townships included one named Saxe Gotha, which flourished with major crops of corn, wheat, tobacco, hemp, and flax, as well as beeswax and livestock.

The Battle of Tarrar Springs was fought nearby on November 16, 1781. In 1785, Saxe Gotha was replaced with Lexington County, in commemoration of the Battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. The county's first courthouse was built in Granby, but chronic flooding forced the courthouse to move in 1820 to its present location, establishing the community of Lexington Courthouse. The community was incorporated as the Town of Lexington in 1861.

The location could not be found.

Pick the Right Electrical Tech School near Lexington SC

Choosing the right electrical training program will probably be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are many factors that you will need to assess and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrical tech school that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every training program provides different possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to visit 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 program you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Lexington SC.

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