Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Weston FL 33326

How to Become an Electrician in Weston Florida

Weston FL electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Weston FL. But with so many technical schools to pick from, just how do you undertake making certain that you enroll in the right one? Particularly because there are a number of points to examine. For example, some prospective students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their home. After they have located some that are within driving range, they will decide on the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the only qualifications that should be evaluated. Also important are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should contribute toward your final judgment when picking an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But first, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are accessible.

Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Weston FL

Weston FL electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to receive electrician instruction in a trade or technical school near Weston FL. You may select a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at a few schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. Often these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are short explanations of the three most common programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Florida trade and technical schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve two years to finish and are offered by Florida community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They offer a more extensive education while providing the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Florida institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other briefer programs. Many states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be performed before licensing. Because of that, many students are anxious to begin their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites

Weston FL electricians working on power lines Electricians in Weston FL can carry out a wide range of tasks, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally around four to five years of prior experience is needed before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly assess electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to differentiate her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and may be obtained in several specializations, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician vocational school that you pick not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you may be required to take in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Online Programs in Weston FL

attending electrician school online in Weston FL An alternative that you might have contemplated is choosing an electrician online program to earn a certificate or degree. While online schools have become more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not completely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning might be a more practical choice for students 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 counterparts. Commuting expenses from Weston FL are also minimized and some of the study materials can be available on line also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools

Weston FL electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have decided to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Considering that there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Weston FL area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The initial 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 chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional variables that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to assess prior to selecting an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical programs have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Verify that the Weston FL school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you obtain an excellent education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited schools. Also, many 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 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 could indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It could also signify that the instructors 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 more extensive directory of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to utilize 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 trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Weston FL grads acquire apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician vocational programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or trade unions. Check if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Weston FL area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by providing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the area electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using on the job. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical tech you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Weston FL electrical company if they can provide some tips. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can move, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Weston residence. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, in addition to moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much personalized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on 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 some of the students and get their comments regarding class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk with some of the teachers and find out what their level of expertise is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Weston FL, confirm that the programs you are reviewing offer those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Also, find out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, illness or family issues.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Weston FL?

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

Weston, Florida

Weston is a master planned suburban community in Broward County, Florida, United States. Established as a city in 1996, much of the community was developed by Arvida/JMB Realty (known for developing Walt Disney World) and is located near the western developmental boundary of Broward County. It is the most western city in Broward County, and its entire west side is next to the Everglades. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 65,333.[6] Weston is a principal city of the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6,012,331 people at the 2015 census.

In 2010, Money magazine ranked Weston 19th in America in the "Biggest Earners" category, with a median family income of $119,689.[7] In 2006, it was ranked as the city with the largest job growth in Florida and 18th largest in the nation.[8]BusinessWeek ranked Weston as one of the "best affordable suburbs" in the United States in November 2006.[9][10]

Weston consistently ranks high annually in CNN Money magazine's "Biggest Earners" category. In 2008, Money magazine ranked Weston as the 73rd best place to live in America, making it the best place to live in the state of Florida.[11] In 2012, Weston moved up eleven slots to the 62nd best place to live in America, once again topping the list in the state of Florida.[12] It was recently named by Family Circle Magazine one of the Ten Best Towns for Families for 2015.[13]

The location could not be found.

Find the Ideal Electrician Technical School near Weston FL

Selecting the best electrical training program will probably 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 assess and compare between the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are assessing includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom instruction should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the training program should be current and in-line with industry standards. Programs vary in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each program offers different options for certification also. Probably the best approach to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty 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 select is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Weston FL.