How to Become an Electrician in Summerton South Carolina
The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Summerton SC. But with so many vocational schools to select from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are so many points to examine. For example, many potential students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located several that are within driving range, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the only qualifications that must be considered. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Summerton SC
There are multiple ways to receive electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Summerton SC. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you want to earn certification. Following are short explanations of the 3 most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by South Carolina technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who would like to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require two years to complete and are provided by South Carolina junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain South Carolina colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out prior to licensing. Therefore, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria
Electricians in Summerton SC can perform a wide range of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly around 4 to 5 years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be earned in various specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you select not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you might be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Summerton SC
An alternative that you might have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. While online training programs have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some 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 alternative for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Travelling expenses from Summerton SC are also reduced and some of the study materials can be accessed online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online trade schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Since there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Summerton SC area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional variables that need to be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician vocational programs have received 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, such as electrical technology. Verify that the Summerton SC program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, many states require that the electrician training program 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 of students who enroll in and finish the course. A low completion rate may indicate that students were disappointed with the course and quit. It may also mean that the instructors were not competent 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 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 validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Summerton SC students obtain apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician trade programs are taught along with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Summerton SC area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical tech you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Summerton SC electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Summerton home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak to several of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak with a few of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Summerton SC, confirm that the programs you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Summerton SC?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Summerton SC area.
Summerton, South Carolina
Summerton is in southwestern Clarendon County at 33°36′19″N 80°21′8″W / 33.60528°N 80.35222°W / 33.60528; -80.35222 (33.605145, -80.352159).[4]Interstate 95 passes just south of the town, with access from Exit 108. I-95 leads northeast 57 miles (92 km) to Florence and southwest 120 miles (190 km) to Savannah, Georgia. U.S. Routes 15 and 301 join in the center of Summerton. US 301 leads northeast 10 miles (16 km) to Manning, the Clarendon County seat, and US 15 leads north 23 miles (37 km) to Sumter, while the combined highways lead southwest 11 miles (18 km) to Santee.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,061 people, 452 households, and 285 families residing in the town. The population density was 919.3 people per square mile (356.2/km²). There were 516 housing units at an average density of 447.1 per square mile (173.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 39.77% White, 57.21% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.75% Asian, 1.41% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.07% of the population.
There were 452 households out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.5% were married couples living together, 24.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 3.00.
Pick the Ideal Electrician Technical School near Summerton SC
Selecting the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new career. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are examining includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to attend a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you choose is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Summerton SC.
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