Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Arlington TX 76001

How to Become an Electrician in Arlington Texas

Arlington TX electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Arlington TX. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the best one? Particularly since there are a number of points to evaluate. For instance, some potential students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have located some that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the sole factors that must be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when choosing an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional choices that are available.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs near Arlington TX

Arlington TX electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several ways to obtain electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Arlington TX. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three alternatives. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you intend to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the 3 most common programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Texas vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take two years to complete and are provided by Texas community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain Texas colleges, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed before licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements

Arlington TX electricians working on power lines Electricians in Arlington TX can perform a vast array of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be acquired in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you enroll in not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may be required to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Training Classes in Arlington TX

attending electrician school online in Arlington TX An alternative that you might have looked at is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, internet learning may be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Travelling costs from Arlington TX are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online as well. All of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Arlington TX electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Since there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Arlington TX region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Arlington TX program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you acquire a quality education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, a number of states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering 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 suggest that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It might also mean that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which may mean more contacts for the school to employ 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 trade, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Arlington TX students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Arlington TX 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 regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Arlington TX electrical company if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Arlington home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak to several of the students and get their feedback regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to some of the teachers and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Arlington TX, confirm that the schools you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Arlington TX?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Arlington TX area.

Arlington, Texas

Arlington is a principal city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Tarrant County. It is part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, approximately 12 miles (19 km) east of downtown Fort Worth and 20 miles (32 km) west of downtown Dallas.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau's estimate, the city had a population of almost 379,577 at the end of 2013 [7] making it the third-largest municipality in the metropolitan area. Arlington is the forty-eighth-most populous city in the United States, the seventh-most populous city in the state of Texas,[8] and the largest city in the state that is not a county seat.

Arlington is home to the University of Texas at Arlington, a major urban research university, the Arlington Assembly plant used by General Motors, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region IV, Texas Health Resources, American Mensa, and D. R. Horton. Additionally, Arlington hosts the Texas Rangers at the Globe Life Park, the Dallas Cowboys at the AT&T Stadium, the Dallas Wings at the College Park Center, the International Bowling Campus (which houses the United States Bowling Congress, International Bowling Museum and the International Bowling Hall of Fame), and the theme parks Six Flags Over Texas (the original Six Flags) and Hurricane Harbor.

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Enroll in the Ideal Electrical Technical School near Arlington TX

Picking the ideal 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 examine and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician training program that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world perspective, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each training program offers unique options for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you pick is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Arlington TX.