How to Become an Electrician in Marshfield Wisconsin
The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Marshfield WI. But with so many technical 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 variables to examine. For example, some students will start by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located a few that are within commuting range, they will select the one with the lowest tuition. Although cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole things that should be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should help mold your final judgment when selecting an electrician school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are offered.
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Programs near Marshfield WI
There are several ways to receive electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Marshfield WI. You can select a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Often these programs are made available together with an apprenticeship program, which are required by most states to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are short descriptions of the three most prevalent programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally provided by Wisconsin trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are geared towards those who want to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees require 2 years to finish and are offered by Wisconsin community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain Wisconsin colleges, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed prior to licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their academic program.
Electrician Licensing and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Marshfield WI can perform a vast array of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be obtained in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails 3 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 select not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Marshfield WI
A possibility that you may have contemplated is choosing an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs are becoming more accepted as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical choice for students that have limited time for education. And as a bonus many online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting costs from Marshfield WI are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available on line also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Things to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
Once you have decided to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your school options. Since there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Marshfield WI area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The initial two that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be critical when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze prior to enrolling in an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Marshfield WI school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping make certain that you receive a quality education, it can assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, some states require that the electrician training program be accredited for it to qualify 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 or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the program and quit. It may also mean that the instructors were not qualified to train 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 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 can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Marshfield WI students secure apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating technical and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Marshfield WI area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also provides employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Marshfield WI electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Marshfield residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to a few of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the teachers and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Marshfield WI, verify that the schools you are comparing provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Marshfield WI?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Marshfield WI area.
Marshfield, Wisconsin
Marshfield is a city in Wood County and Marathon County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 10, Highway 13 and Highway 97. The largest city in Wood County, its population was 19,118 at the 2010 census.[6] Of this, 18,218 were in Wood County, and 900 were in Marathon County. The city is part of the United States Census Bureau's Marshfield-Wisconsin Rapids Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Wood County (2010 population: 74,749). The portion of the city in Marathon County is part of the Wausau Metropolitan Statistical Area.
In 1851 and 1853, when the area was still forested, surveyors working for the U.S. government marked all the section corners in the 6 by 6 miles (9.7 by 9.7 km) square which now includes Marshfield, Hewitt, and Cameron, working on foot with compass and chain.[7][8] When done, the deputy surveyor filed this general description:
Marshfield was settled much later than many surrounding towns. DuBay started his trading post 40 miles (64 km) east on the Wisconsin River around 1818.[10] A sawmill was built at Nekoosa in 1832.[11] A sawmill was built at Neillsville around 1847.[12] The first building at Marshfield came in 1872.[13] The city was named for John Marshfield, one of the original owners of land in the area.[14]
Select the Right Electrician Vocational School near Marshfield WI
Choosing the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new profession. As we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare between the schools you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Programs differ in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each training program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Probably the best way to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new career as a professional electrician in Marshfield WI.
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