Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Bellevue WA 98004

How to Become an Electrician in Bellevue Washington

Bellevue WA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Bellevue WA. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are so many points to evaluate. For example, many potential students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. When they have located a few that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that should be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your final decision when picking an electrician school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are offered.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs near Bellevue WA

Bellevue WA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several options to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Bellevue WA. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states in order to become licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are short descriptions of the 3 most common programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by Washington technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are offered by Washington community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Washington colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Criteria

Bellevue WA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Bellevue WA can carry out a multitude of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically assess electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be acquired in various specializations, 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 organizations include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you choose not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Bellevue WA

attending electrician school online in Bellevue WA An alternative that you may have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. While online training programs are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning may be a more convenient alternative for students that have limited time for education. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Commuting costs from Bellevue WA are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be available on line as well. Each of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Bellevue WA electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Because there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Bellevue WA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are other factors that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to choosing an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, such as electrical technology. Make certain that the Bellevue WA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you get a quality education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited programs. Also, many states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate could signify that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It may also signify that the teachers were not qualified 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 directory of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to employ 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 also that it has the network of contacts to assist Bellevue WA grads secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are comparing have working partnerships with Bellevue WA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Bellevue WA electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Bellevue residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there can be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

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

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Bellevue WA, check that the programs you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Bellevue WA?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Bellevue WA area.

Bellevue, Washington

Bellevue (/ˈbɛlvjuː/ BEL-vyoo) is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, across Lake Washington from Seattle. As the third-largest city in the Seattle metropolitan area, Bellevue has variously been characterized as an edge city, a suburb, boomburb, or satellite city.[4][5] Its population was 144,444 in a 2017 census estimate.

Prior to 2008, downtown Bellevue underwent rapid change, with many high rise projects under construction, and was relatively unaffected by the economic downturn. The downtown area is currently the second largest city center in Washington state with 1,300 businesses, 45,000 employees and 10,200 residents.[6] Based on per capita income, Bellevue is the 6th wealthiest of 522 communities in the state of Washington.[7] In 2008, Bellevue was named number 1 in CNNMoney's list of the best places to live and launch a business,[8] and in 2010 was again ranked as the 4th best place to live in America.[9] In 2014, Bellevue was ranked as the 2nd best place to live by USA Today.[10] More than 145 companies have been located in Bellevue. Current companies with headquarters in Bellevue include Expedia, T-Mobile and Valve Corporation.

Bellevue was settled in 1869 by William Meydenbauer and Aaron Mercer, who claimed homestead tracts several miles apart. Prior to the opening of the Lake Washington Floating Bridge in 1940, Bellevue was a rural area with little development. Although it was small, developers were pushing to change that; in the 1920s, James S. Ditty predicted that it would become a city with a population of 200,000.[12] He envisioned plans that included the bridging of Lake Washington and an area filled with golf courses and airports.[13] His map with these visions was published in 1928.[13]

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Find the Ideal Electrical Vocational School near Bellevue WA

Choosing the best electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers unique options for certification as well. Probably The ideal approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Bellevue WA.