How to Become an Electrician in Lena Wisconsin
The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Lena WI. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are so many points to evaluate. For example, some prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are close to their home. Once they have identified some that are within commuting range, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole factors that must be examined. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your final judgment when picking an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are accessible.
Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Lena WI
There are several approaches to get electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Lena WI. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Following are brief explanations of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Wisconsin technical and trade schools and require about a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who want to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are offered by Wisconsin community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Wisconsin institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically four years be completed prior to licensing. Because of that, most students are eager to start their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements
Electricians in Lena WI can carry out a vast array of tasks, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about four to five years of prior experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually test electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to identify him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be acquired in various specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases involves 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 vocational school that you pick not only furnishes a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes in Lena WI
An alternative that you may have looked at is choosing an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools have become more popular as a means of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, internet learning might be a more practical alternative for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus alternatives. Commuting expenses from Lena WI are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be available online as well. All of these advantages can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Training Schools
Once you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to refine your training options. Because there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Lena WI region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your selection, there are other variables that must be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. Many electrician technical schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Lena WI program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order 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 complete the program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It could also suggest that the teachers were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Lena WI graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical 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 electrical contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Lena WI area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Lena WI electrical contractor if they can give you some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Lena residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Talk with several of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.
Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Lena WI, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lena WI?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Lena WI area.
Lena, Wisconsin
Lena is a village in Oconto County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 564 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Green Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area. The village is located within the Town of Lena.
Originally known as Maple Valley,[6] Lena owes its location to the railroads. The first white family at the site that became Lena was the French-Swiss immigrant Étienne Clement Roserens (also spelled Rosera, 1831–1911)[7] together with his French-Canadian wife Vitaline née Tessier (1842–1919), who established a homestead in October 1872.[8][9][10] Their daughter Anna Rosera Hendricks (1874–1951) was the first white child born in the settlement.[6] Other early white settlers in this vicinity arrived in the late 1870s and consisted primarily of French Canadian immigrants.[6] One French Canadian immigrant was Sam Roy, also known as Sam King. King homesteaded land in 1872 and donated land for the first schoolhouse. As was common in other areas populated by French-Canadians during this era, most of the Maple Valley residents engaged in small-scale logging, concentrating their work and their homes along Jones Creek, a tributary of the Little River. By 1879 the community had become large enough to support a post office and, since the name "Maple Valley" had already been assigned to another Wisconsin post office, the recommendation of a new name fell to Oconto Postmaster George R. Hall (1853–1935).[6][11] Hall submitted the first name of his future wife (Helena "Lena" Louisa McCartney, 1858–1927)[6][11][12] to the federal postmaster, and the choice was approved. Lena was incorporated as a village in 1921.
The first church in Lena was the Seventh Day Adventist church, built in 1880.[6] A Catholic church was built in 1882, and a Methodist church in 1888.[6] A Lutheran church was built in the early 20th century.[6]
Find the Ideal Electrical Tech School near Lena WI
Choosing the ideal electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any electrical training program that you are reviewing includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to determine what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Each program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to attend a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Lena WI.
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