Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Rantoul IL 61866

How to Become an Electrician in Rantoul Illinois

Rantoul IL electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Rantoul IL. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you tackle making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are a number of factors to consider. For example, some prospective students will begin by searching for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located some that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the cheapest tuition. While location and cost are of importance, they are not the sole qualifications that should be considered. Also critical 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 final judgment when picking an electrician school. We will talk about 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 choices that are offered.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Rantoul IL

Rantoul IL electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple options to get electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Rantoul IL. You may select a certificate or diploma program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Often these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship, which are required by the majority of states to be licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are brief summaries of the 3 most typical programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are typically offered by Illinois trade and technical schools and take about a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who wish to get into an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to complete and are offered by Illinois junior or community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degrees are available at some Illinois institutions, but are less favored at four years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and more typically four years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, many students are eager to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Prerequisites

Rantoul IL electricians working on power lines Electricians in Rantoul IL can carry out a wide range of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around four to five years of prior experience is called for before taking the licensing examination. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to distinguish him or herself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be acquired in many specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases 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) as well as the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician tech school that you choose not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may need to pass in the future.

Attending Electrician Programs Online in Rantoul IL

attending electrician school online in Rantoul IL A possibility that you may have looked at is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools are becoming more popular as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes may be accessed online, internet learning might be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit numerous online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus counterparts. Commuting expenses from Rantoul IL are also reduced and a portion of the study materials may be available online also. Each of these advantages can make electrician online tech schools more affordable and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Rantoul IL electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your training options. Since there are numerous electrician tech and trade schools in the Rantoul IL area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of criteria that each program must meet. The initial two that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be critical when making your decision, there are additional variables that must be considered also. Following is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to analyze prior to selecting an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may receive Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, such as electrical technology. Make sure that the Rantoul IL school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain an excellent education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited programs. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it 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 portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the course. A low completion rate might signify that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It might also indicate that the instructors were not competent to instruct the students. It’s also essential that the schools have higher job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which can produce more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only affirm that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Rantoul IL graduates secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician training programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrician companies or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Rantoul IL area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by providing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the campus facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed 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 technician you are working under concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Rantoul IL electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Rantoul home. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased 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 monitor a few of the classes so that you can see how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and teachers. Talk to some of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you are only able to attend classes in the evening or on weekends near Rantoul IL, verify that the programs you are considering offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, be sure that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, find out 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 Rantoul IL?

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

Rantoul, Illinois

Rantoul is a village in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 12,941 at the 2010 census. The current mayor is Chuck Smith, who was elected in 2013. The community was named after Robert Rantoul, Jr., a U.S. representative from Massachusetts, and a director of the Illinois Central Railroad.[4][5]

In 1917, Rantoul was chosen by the United States Army to be the site of Chanute Field,[6] due to its proximity to the Illinois Central railroad and the War Department’s ground school at the University of Illinois. In the 1930s, Chanute Field grew, dominating the local economy as thousands of airmen were stationed there to train recruits. Renamed Chanute Air Force Base after World War II, it was closed in 1993, but was partly reoccupied by the Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum , which was permanently closed on December 30, 2015, and the Rantoul National Aviation Center. Rantoul's economy has taken a sharp decline due to the base's closing, from which it has never recovered. The book Eye of the Storm: Chanute Closes by Katy B. Podagrosi tells the story of this period.

According to the 2010 census, Rantoul has a total area of 8.259 square miles (21.39 km2), of which 8.15 square miles (21.11 km2) (or 98.68%) is land and 0.109 square miles (0.28 km2) (or 1.32%) is water.[8]

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Pick the Right Electrician Tech School near Rantoul IL

Choosing the ideal electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to launch your new career. As we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to examine and compare among the training programs you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrical training that you are reviewing includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes should be smaller in size and every student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching needs to provide a real-world context, and the training program should be up-to-date 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 credential will best serve your needs. Each program offers different options for certification also. Perhaps the best means to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the faculty and students. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you choose is the ideal one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Rantoul IL.