Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Madison WI 53701

How to Become an Electrician in Madison Wisconsin

Madison WI electrician inspecting circuit panelThe initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Madison WI. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many factors to evaluate. For instance, many students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have identified some that are within driving range, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though cost and location are important, they are not the only things that need to be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should influence your final judgment when picking an electrician trade school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the instructional choices that are accessible.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Madison WI

Madison WI electrician re-wiring power outletThere are three general approaches to obtain electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Madison WI. You may choose a diploma or certificate program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. In many cases these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are brief summaries of the three most typical programs offered.

  • Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by Wisconsin vocational and trade schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to join an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
  • Associate Degree Programs involve two years to finish and are provided by Wisconsin community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Wisconsin institutions, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Requirements

Madison WI electricians working on power linesElectricians in Madison WI can perform a wide range of tasks, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but usually about 4 to 5 years of experience is called for in order to take the licensing exam. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge 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 can be earned in several specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually involves three 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you choose not only provides a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Schools in Madison WI

attending electrician school online in Madison WIA possibility that you may have considered is choosing an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs 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 schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, distance learning might be a more convenient alternative for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting costs from Madison WI are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be accessed online also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Madison WI electrician re-wiring circuit panelNow that you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Because there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Madison WI region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The first two that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your decision, there are additional factors that need to be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research prior to enrolling in an electrical technical school.

Accreditation.  Numerous 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 pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make certain that the Madison WI program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive an excellent education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates.  Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the program. A lower completion rate could indicate that students were unhappy with the course and dropped out. It could also mean that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also important that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list 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 will not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Madison WI students obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs.  A large number of electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Madison WI area electricians or electrical specialists. 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 regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities.  Confirm that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Madison WI electrical contractor if they can give you some suggestions. Also keep in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Madison home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes.   It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how big they are and experience the interaction between teachers and students. Talk with a few of the students and get their opinions regarding class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the instructors and learn what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling.  Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Madison WI, check that the programs you are reviewing provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, 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 Madison WI?

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

Madison, Wisconsin

Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the seat of Dane County. As of July 1, 2017, Madison's estimated population of 255,214[4] made it the second-largest city in Wisconsin, after Milwaukee, and the 82nd-largest in the United States. The city forms the core of the United States Census Bureau's Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Dane County and neighboring Iowa, Green, and Columbia counties. The Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area's 2010 population was 568,593.

Founded in 1829 on an isthmus between Lake Monona and Lake Mendota, Madison was named the capital of the Wisconsin Territory in 1836 and became the capital of the state of Wisconsin when it was admitted to the Union in 1848. That same year, the University of Wisconsin was founded in Madison and the state government and university have become the city's two largest employers.[5] The city is also known for its lakes, restaurants, and extensive network of parks and bike trails, with much of the park system designed by landscape architect John Nolen.

Madison's origins begin in 1829, when former federal judge James Duane Doty purchased over a thousand acres (4 km²) of swamp and forest land on the isthmus between Lakes Mendota and Monona, with the intention of building a city in the Four Lakes region. He purchased 1,261 acres for $1,500. When the Wisconsin Territory was created in 1836 the territorial legislature convened in Belmont, Wisconsin. One of the legislature's tasks was to select a permanent location for the territory's capital. Doty lobbied aggressively for Madison as the new capital, offering buffalo robes to the freezing legislators and promising choice Madison lots at discount prices to undecided voters.[7] He had James Slaughter plat two cities in the area, Madison and "The City of Four Lakes", near present-day Middleton.

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Find the Right Electrician Technical School near Madison WI

Selecting the right electrical trade school will probably be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the schools you are reviewing. It’s a must that any electrical tech school that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every training program offers different options for certification also. Perhaps The ideal means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on some 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 outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Madison WI.

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