Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Mountlake Terrace WA 98043

How to Become an Electrician in Mountlake Terrace Washington

Mountlake Terrace WA electrician inspecting circuit panelThe first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Mountlake Terrace WA. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are a number of variables to examine. For instance, many students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their residence. After they have identified some that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. Even though location and cost are significant, they are not the sole factors that must be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and additional qualifiers should influence your final decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training choices that are available.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Mountlake Terrace WA

Mountlake Terrace WA electrician re-wiring power outletThere are three general options to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Mountlake Terrace WA. You can choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Following are short summaries of the three most prevalent programs available.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Washington technical and trade schools and take about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards individuals who want to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degrees take two years to finish and are offered by Washington junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Washington institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases 4 years be performed before licensing. Therefore, many students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Guidelines

Mountlake Terrace WA electricians working on power linesElectricians in Mountlake Terrace WA can undertake a multitude of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly around four to five years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly test 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 him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be earned in various specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually includes three 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you pick not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might need to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online in Mountlake Terrace WA

attending electrician school online in Mountlake Terrace WAAn option that you may have considered is enrolling in an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, internet learning may be a more practical option 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 counterparts. Travelling costs from Mountlake Terrace WA are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online as well. All of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Mountlake Terrace WA electrician re-wiring circuit panelOnce you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Mountlake Terrace WA area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each school must meet. The first 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional factors that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to selecting an electrical tech school.

Accreditation.  Numerous electrician technical programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Verify that the Mountlake Terrace WA school and program are 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 obtain a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Also, 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 considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. It may also mean that the instructors were not qualified to instruct 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 graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Mountlake Terrace WA students acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  A large number of electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Mountlake Terrace WA area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed 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 with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Mountlake Terrace WA electrical contracting company if they can provide some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Mountlake Terrace home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

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

Flexible Scheduling.  Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Mountlake Terrace WA, check that the programs you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Mountlake Terrace WA?

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

Mountlake Terrace, Washington

Mountlake Terrace is a suburban city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It lies on the southern border of the county, adjacent to Shoreline and Lynnwood, and is 13 miles (21 km) to the north of Seattle. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 19,909 people.

Mountlake Terrace was founded in 1949 by suburban developers on the site of a disused airfield. Within five years, the community had grown to over 5,000 people and was incorporated as a city in 1954 to provide municipal services. In recent decades, Mountlake Terrace has begun development of its own downtown with mixed-use buildings and large employers in lieu of remaining a bedroom community for Seattle commuters. Interstate 5 runs north–south through the city and connects Mountlake Terrace to Seattle and Everett.

The site of Mountlake Terrace was thickly forested in the mid-Nineteenth Century and formed part of the traditional hunting-gathering areas of the Snohomish people. The area was obtained by the Puget Mill Company in 1862. By 1900, most of the land in south Snohomish County had been logged. Pope & Talbot Company, the successor entity of the Puget Mill Company, subdivided the cut area into 10-acre plots, which were sold as "chicken ranches." These plots were sold with moderate success to ranchers raising poultry, mink, and chinchilla. An interurban rail line between Tacoma, Washington and Everett, Washington was built in 1910, allowing easier access to the farms from throughout the region. Many of them failed during the Great Depression, however, and the railroad was abandoned in 1939.[5]

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Choose the Right Electrician Vocational School near Mountlake Terrace WA

Choosing the ideal electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are several things that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrician training that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Mountlake Terrace WA.

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