Find Electrician Schools Near Me in North Chicago IL 60064

How to Become an Electrician in North Chicago Illinois

North Chicago IL electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical contractor or tradesman is finding an electrician trade school near North Chicago IL. But with numerous technical schools to select from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are a number of variables to consider. For example, many potential students will start by searching for schools that are close to their residence. After they have found some that are within driving range, they will pick 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 reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your final decision when picking an electrician training school. We will discuss that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the training options that are available.

Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Options near North Chicago IL

North Chicago IL electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple options to get electrician training in a vocational or trade school near North Chicago IL. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at a few schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship, which are required by most states in order to be licensed or if you would like to earn certification. Bellow are short summaries of the three most typical programs offered.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically provided by Illinois vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a solid foundation and are geared towards students who wish to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take two years to finish and are provided by Illinois community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more comprehensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at some Illinois institutions, but are less popular at 4 years than the other briefer programs. The majority of states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites

North Chicago IL electricians working on power lines Electricians in North Chicago IL can carry out a vast array of duties, including testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but typically about four to five years of experience is required in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to identify him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and may be obtained in many 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 agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you enroll in not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might need to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Schools Online in North Chicago IL

attending electrician school online in North Chicago IL A possibility that you might have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools have become more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not completely internet based. Virtually all electrician training programs 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 alternative for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a reduced tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Travelling expenses from North Chicago IL are also reduced and some of the study materials may be available on line also. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

What to Ask Electrician Trade Schools

North Chicago IL electrician re-wiring circuit panel Now that you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to narrow down your school options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the North Chicago IL area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first 2 that we talked about were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other variables that need to be considered as well. Following is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to research prior to selecting an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician technical schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They can earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the North Chicago IL school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire a superior education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited schools. Furthermore, a number of states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing 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 may signify that students were unhappy with the course and quit. It may also indicate 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 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 will not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the trade, but also that it has the network of contacts to help North Chicago IL graduates secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician training programs are taught along with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade 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 partnerships with North Chicago IL area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the campus facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical tech you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local North Chicago IL electrical company if they can provide some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within driving distance of your North Chicago residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much one-on-one instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to a few of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, speak to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near North Chicago IL, check that the programs you are considering 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, 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 North Chicago IL?

Following is a little bit of background information about the North Chicago IL area.

North Chicago, Illinois

The city is also home to Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, which houses the Chicago Medical School, the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, the College of Pharmacy, the College of Health Professions, and the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. North Chicago in the past was an important center of industry, and that past is reflected within the landscape as the area is still heavily industrialized today.

According to the 2010 census, North Chicago has a total area of 7.915 square miles (20.50 km2), of which 7.9 square miles (20.46 km2) (or 99.81%) is land and 0.015 square miles (0.04 km2) (or 0.19%) is water.[5]

The city is situated on Lake Michigan. Most of its territory drains directly to the lake, but the western region drains to the North Branch of the Chicago River, and ultimately, since the engineering projects of the 19th century, to the Illinois and thence to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.

The location could not be found.

Enroll in the Ideal Electrician Technical School near North Chicago IL

Choosing the right electrical trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are many factors that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are reviewing. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical training that you are evaluating includes a good deal of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom instruction needs to offer a real-world context, and the curriculum should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to ascertain what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the training program you pick is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in North Chicago IL.