Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Mountain View CA 94035

How to Become an Electrician in Mountain View California

Mountain View CA electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Mountain View CA. But with numerous vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are a number of factors to consider. For instance, many prospective students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. When they have found some that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. Although location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole things that should be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final judgment when picking an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are accessible.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Mountain View CA

Mountain View CA electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple ways to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Mountain View CA. You may enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are brief descriptions of the three most typical programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually offered by California technical and trade schools and require about a year to finish. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who want to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees require 2 years to complete and are offered by California junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain California institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 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 Criteria

Mountain View CA electricians working on power lines Electricians in Mountain View CA can perform a wide range of duties, 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 mandated to be licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but normally around four to five years of experience is needed before taking the licensing exam. The exams usually test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be earned in various specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves 3 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician tech school that you pick not only provides a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may need to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Programs in Mountain View CA

attending electrician school online in Mountain View CA A possibility that you might have looked at is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs are becoming more accepted as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, distance learning may be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus alternatives. Travelling expenses from Mountain View CA are also lessened and some of the study materials can be accessed on line also. All of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will cover in our questions to ask checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Mountain View CA electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to narrow down your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician vocational and trade schools in the Mountain View CA region, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are additional factors that need to be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess prior to enrolling in an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician vocational schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Mountain View CA school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you get an excellent education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many 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 program. A low completion rate might signify that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It could also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive list of alumni, which can mean more contacts for the school to utilize 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 field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Mountain View CA students obtain apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician trade 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 businesses or labor unions. Ask if the schools you are considering have referring relationships with Mountain View CA area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to form relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date 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 regarding what you should be looking for. If not, ask a local Mountain View CA electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Mountain View residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may 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 monitor some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk with a few of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk with some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the schools you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Mountain View CA, confirm that the programs you are considering offer those options. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, check 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 Mountain View CA?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Mountain View CA area.

Mountain View, California

Mountain View is a city located in Santa Clara County, California, United States, named for its views of the Santa Cruz Mountains.[8] From its origins as a stagecoach stop, it grew to a large suburb with a pedestrian-friendly downtown and a population of 74,066. The city borders Palo Alto and the San Francisco Bay to the north, Los Altos to the south, and Moffett Federal Airfield and Sunnyvale to the east.

Situated in the southern end of the Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area, Mountain View is home to many high technology companies. In 1956, Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory, the first company to develop silicon semiconductor devices in what came to be known as Silicon Valley, was established in the city by William Shockley. Today, many of the largest technology companies in the world are headquartered in the city, including Google, Mozilla Foundation, Symantec, and Intuit. The original Byte Shop computer store was opened at 1063 El Camino Real, Mountain View, by Paul Terrell, and the first 50 Apple I computers were sold from that location. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority integrates the city with the neighboring cities of Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Sunnyvale.

The Mexican land grant of Rancho Pastoria de las Borregas was given in 1842 by Alta California Governor Juan Alvarado to Francisco Estrada. This grant was later passed on to Mariano Castro, who sold half of the land to Martin Murphy, Jr. Eventually, the former land grant became the cities of Mountain View and Sunnyvale.

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Find the Right Electrician Trade School near Mountain View CA

Picking the right electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should 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 current 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 credential will best satisfy your needs. Each program offers different possibilities for certification also. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Take the time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you select is the right one for you. With the proper training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Mountain View CA.