Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Lakeland FL 33801

How to Become an Electrician in Lakeland Florida

Lakeland FL electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near Lakeland FL. But with so many vocational schools to pick from, just how do you tackle making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Particularly because there are so many points to consider. For example, some prospective students will start by looking for schools that are close to their home. After they have identified a few that are within driving distance, they will pick the one with the most affordable tuition. Although cost and location are significant, they are not the sole factors that must be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, in addition to their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your ultimate judgment when selecting an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the educational options that are available.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Lakeland FL

Lakeland FL electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Lakeland FL. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you would like to become certified. Following are short summaries of the 3 most typical programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Florida trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards students who would like to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve 2 years to finish and are provided by Florida community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Florida institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be carried out before licensing. Because of that, most students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician License and Certification Guidelines

Lakeland FL electricians working on power lines Electricians in Lakeland FL can undertake a wide range of duties, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally about four to five years of practical experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically test general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be acquired in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually includes 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you pick not only furnishes a strong academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might be required to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Lakeland FL

attending electrician school online in Lakeland FL An option that you may have contemplated is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require some attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, internet learning can be a more practical choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Commuting costs from Lakeland FL are also lessened and a portion of the study materials can be available on line as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Lakeland FL electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to refine your school options. Since there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Lakeland FL area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The first 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be important when making your selection, there are additional variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to choosing an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Many electrician technical schools have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may attain Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Confirm that the Lakeland FL program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you get an excellent education, it may assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate may signify that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It might also indicate that the teachers were not competent 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 broader directory of alumni, which can produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Lakeland FL graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician trade programs are taught in conjunction with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Lakeland FL area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the regional 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 currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical specialist you are working under regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Lakeland FL electrical company if they can provide some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Lakeland home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, in addition to relocation costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Speak with several of the students and get their opinions concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Lakeland FL, verify that the schools you are comparing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lakeland FL?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Lakeland FL area.

Lakeland, Florida

Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, along Interstate 4 east of Tampa. The westernmost city in Polk County, it is part of the Tampa Bay Area. According to the 2013 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 100,710.[2] Lakeland is a principal city of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area (coterminous with Polk County), which had an estimated population of 623,009 in July 2013 based on data from the University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research. It is twinned with Richmond Hill, Ontario; Imabari, Ehime, Japan; Bălți, Moldova; Portmore, Jamaica; and Chongming County, Shanghai, China through the Lakeland chapter of Sister Cities International.

Native Americans began to live in the area 12,000 years ago. European-American settlers arrived in Lakeland from South Carolina in the 1870s. The city expanded in the 1880s with the arrival of rail service, with the first freedmen railway workers settling here in 1883.[6] They and European immigrants also came because of new jobs in the large phosphate industry that developed. Lakeland is home to the 1,267-acre Circle B Bar Reserve.

The first Paleo-Indians reached the central Florida area near the end of the last ice age, as they followed big game south.[23][24] As the ice melted and sea levels rose, these Native Americans ended up staying and thrived on the peninsula for thousands of years. By the time the first Spanish conquistadors arrived, more than 250,000 Native Americans were living on the peninsula.[citation needed] Some of these first early tribes were the Tocobago, Timucua, and Calusa. In 1527, a Spanish map showed a settlement near the Rio de la Paz.[23][24] The arrival of the Spanish turned out to be disastrous to these Native American tribes. Within 150 years, the majority of the pre-Columbian Native American peoples of Florida had been wiped out. Those who had not succumbed to diseases such as smallpox or yellow fever were either killed or enslaved.[23][24][25][26] Little is left of these first Native Americans cultures in Polk County except for scant archaeological records, including a few personal artifacts and shell mounds. Eventually, the remnants of these tribes merged with the Creek Indians who had arrived from the north and became the Seminole Indian tribe.[24][26]

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Find the Ideal Electrician Tech School near Lakeland FL

Selecting the ideal electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training program that you are considering includes a lot of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Courses differ in length and the type of credential provided, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Each program provides different possibilities for certification also. Perhaps The ideal way to research your short list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you decide on is the ideal one for you. With the right training, hard work and dedication, the final outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Lakeland FL.