Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Colchester CT 06415

How to Become an Electrician in Colchester Connecticut

Colchester CT electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Colchester CT. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of points to evaluate. For instance, some prospective students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have identified some that are within driving distance, they will decide on the one with the least expensive tuition. Even though cost and location are of importance, they are not the sole factors that should be evaluated. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should influence your final judgment when choosing an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in more detail later in this post. But first, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational choices that are accessible.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Colchester CT

Colchester CT electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general approaches to obtain electrician training in a vocational or trade school near Colchester CT. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three alternatives. In many cases these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by the majority of states to become licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Following are brief explanations of the three most typical programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally offered by Connecticut trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards those who would like to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees take two years to complete and are provided by Connecticut community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Connecticut institutions, but are less favored at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases 4 years be completed before licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites

Colchester CT electricians working on power lines Electricians in Colchester CT can undertake a wide range of functions, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but generally around four to five years of experience is required in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional method for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails three 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 vocational school that you enroll in not only delivers a strong educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools in Colchester CT

attending electrician school online in Colchester CT An alternative that you might have considered is choosing an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Although online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Just about all electrician schools require partial attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning may be a more practical option for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving expenses from Colchester CT are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be accessed 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 cover in our questions to ask checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

Colchester CT electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to refine your school options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Colchester CT region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria 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 critical when making your selection, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to assess before selecting an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Many electrician trade programs have acquired either a regional or a national accreditation. They can receive Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Colchester CT program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many 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 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 lower completion rate might indicate that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It could also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly essential that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which can result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Colchester CT graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician businesses or trade unions. Check if the schools you are considering have referring partnerships with Colchester CT area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also supplies employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus 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 already in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Colchester CT electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Also bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Colchester home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction 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 big they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with a few of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Colchester CT, confirm that the programs you are reviewing provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Additionally, ask what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Colchester CT?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Colchester CT area.

Colchester, Connecticut

Colchester is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 16,068 at the 2010 census.[1] In 2010 Colchester became the first town in Connecticut, and the 36th in the country, to be certified with the National Wildlife Federation as a Community Wildlife Habitat.

Colchester is one of the fastest growing towns in Connecticut. The villages of Westchester and North Westchester are located within Colchester. The town center village, which was previously incorporated as a borough, is a census-designated place, with a population of 4,781 at the 2010 census.[2]

On October 13, 1698, Michael Taintor, Samuel Northam and Nathaniel Foote III applied to go forth and settle the Town. Jerimiah's Farm was selected as the main point of reference for the town, with its north boundary as the Twenty Mile River. The southern side is bordered by Lyme. The west boundary meets the east bounds of Middletown and Haddam. The east and northeast boundary run to the bounds of Lebanon and Norwich. During the initial settlement, the area was also referred to as the Plantation of the Twenty-mile River.

The location could not be found.

Find the Right Electrical Vocational School near Colchester CT

Choosing the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are examining includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to determine what length of program and degree or certificate will best fulfill your needs. Each program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Probably the best means to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Take the time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Colchester CT.