How to Become an Electrician in Goodfellow Afb Texas
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Goodfellow Afb TX. But with numerous vocational schools to pick from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly since there are a number of points to consider. For instance, many students will start by looking for schools that are nearby their home. When they have identified some that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole things that must be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your final judgment when selecting an electrician training school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are offered.
Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Options near Goodfellow Afb TX
There are several options to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Goodfellow Afb TX. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are short explanations of the 3 most common programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Texas trade and technical schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve two years to complete and are provided by Texas community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Texas institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be carried out before licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Guidelines
Electricians in Goodfellow Afb TX can carry out a wide range of functions, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally around four to five years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and may be earned in several 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 agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial 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 exams that you might be required to take in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Schools in Goodfellow Afb TX
An option that you may have considered is selecting an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes can be attended online, distance learning can be a more convenient alternative for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a reduced tuition cost compared to their traditional alternatives. Travelling costs from Goodfellow Afb TX are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line also. All of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Once you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Goodfellow Afb TX region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial 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 critical when making your selection, there are other factors that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess before selecting an electrical trade school.
Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Confirm that the Goodfellow Afb TX program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable 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 schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It may also mean that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may produce 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 an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Goodfellow Afb TX grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are comparing have working relationships with Goodfellow Afb TX area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying hands-on training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Goodfellow Afb TX electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Goodfellow Afb home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized training 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 witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with some of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Goodfellow Afb TX, verify that the programs you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family issues.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Goodfellow Afb TX?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Goodfellow Afb TX area.
Goodfellow Air Force Base
Goodfellow Air Force Base is a nonflying United States Air Force base located in San Angelo, Texas, United States. As part of Air Education and Training Command (AETC), Goodfellow's main mission is cryptologic and intelligence training for the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy, and Marine Corps. Military firefighters are also trained here as part of the 312th Training Squadron. It is the home of the 17th Training Wing (17 TRW). The base is named for World War I aviator First Lieutenant John J. Goodfellow, Jr.
Goodfellow's history traces to the days before the attack on Pearl Harbor, but its name registered the valor and sacrifice of an earlier conflict. On 14 September 1918, 1st Lieutenant John J. Goodfellow, Jr., of San Angelo, Texas, boarded his Salmson 2A2 observation plane at Gondreville Airfield in France to conduct visual reconnaissance behind enemy lines. The mission was part of a larger undertaking just underway, a major American offensive intended to reduce the German salient near St. Mihiel. Unfortunately, adverse weather permitted observation only at a low altitude that exposed the lumbering Salmson to enemy pursuit. Three days later, the offensive a success, the young pilot's remains were recovered from his ruined craft and interred at the St. Mihiel American Cemetery and Memorial near Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle.
The peace that arrived two months later endured a mere two decades more. Constrained by neutrality legislation, but witness to the aggression across Europe, Africa, and Asia, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt began a program of preparedness which included the construction of facilities dedicated to advanced air training. Several such bases were envisioned for Texas and one, specifically, for the Fort Worth-Midland-San Angelo triangle. Civic leaders from San Angelo immediately commended their community to the U.S. War Department. A generous offer of sewage and electrical service, a railroad spur, and a 50-year lease on 640 acres (260 ha) at one dollar per year easily decided the issue.
Find the Right Electrical Tech School near Goodfellow Afb TX
Choosing the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers different possibilities for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you select is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Goodfellow Afb TX.
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