How to Become an Electrician in Green Bay Wisconsin

The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Green Bay WI. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are a number of points to evaluate. For instance, many potential students will commence by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located some that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the only factors that need to be examined. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should help mold your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational choices that are offered.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near Green Bay WI

There are several approaches to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Green Bay WI. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three alternatives. Often these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the three most typical programs offered.

• Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Wisconsin technical and trade schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who want to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
• Associate Degrees take 2 years to complete and are offered by Wisconsin junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Wisconsin institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter 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 eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines

Electricians in Green Bay WI can undertake a wide range of services, including 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 become licensed in most municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically around 4 to 5 years of prior experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be acquired in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves 3 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you pick not only provides a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might be required to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Green Bay WI

An option that you might have contemplated is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning can be a more practical alternative for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting costs from Green Bay WI are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available 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 deal with in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Once you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Green Bay WI region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first two 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 although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other variables that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical tech school.

Accreditation.  Numerous electrician trade schools have attained 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, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Green Bay WI school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you get a quality education, it may assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates.  Ask the electrician training programs you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A lower completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It may also indicate that the teachers were not competent 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 graduates, which may produce more contacts for the school to employ 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 trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Green Bay WI graduates acquire apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  Most electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have referring partnerships with Green Bay WI area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area 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 working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Green Bay WI electrical contracting company if they can provide some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Green Bay home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be increased tuition fees 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 some of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Speak with a few of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Green Bay WI, check that the schools you are looking at offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure 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, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Green Bay WI?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Green Bay WI area.

Choose the Right Electrical Trade School near Green Bay WI

Choosing the right electrician trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training program that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Every training program offers unique options for certification also. Perhaps The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the training program you select is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Green Bay WI.

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