Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Catonsville MD 21228

How to Become an Electrician in Catonsville Maryland

Catonsville MD electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is locating an electrician trade school near Catonsville MD. But with so many technical schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are a number of points to evaluate. For example, many students will start by looking for schools that are close to their residence. When they have located several that are within commuting distance, they will choose the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the sole factors that need to be examined. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, in addition to their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when choosing an electrician training school. We will cover that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But first, let’s talk a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are offered.

Electrician Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs near Catonsville MD

Catonsville MD electrician re-wiring power outlet There are three general ways to receive electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Catonsville MD. You can enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at some schools, but are not as common as the first three options. Frequently these programs are offered combined with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are short explanations of the 3 most typical programs offered.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically offered by Maryland technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards those who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take two years to complete and are provided by Maryland junior or community colleges, usually as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more well-rounded education while supplying the foundation that readies students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at certain Maryland 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 more typically 4 years be performed prior to licensing. For that reason, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Requirements

Catonsville MD electricians working on power lines Electricians in Catonsville MD can perform a vast array of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most municipalities and states. The length of apprenticeship differs by state, but commonly about four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, as well as understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and can be obtained in various specialties, including cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure usually entails 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 important that the electrician trade school that you choose not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps prep you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you may need to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Catonsville MD

attending electrician school online in Catonsville MD A possibility that you might have looked at is selecting an online electrician school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs have become more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require some attendance on-campus to obtain practical hands-on training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, internet learning can be a more practical option for students that have minimal time for education. And as a bonus many online training programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus counterparts. Commuting costs from Catonsville MD are also reduced and a portion of the study materials can be available online as well. Each of these benefits can make online electrician vocational schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our questions to ask checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Vocational Schools

Catonsville MD electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Because there are numerous electrician vocational and trade schools in the Catonsville MD area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must meet. The first 2 that we discussed were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And while all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your selection, there are other variables that need to be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifications that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical vocational school.

Accreditation. Numerous electrician trade programs have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Catonsville MD school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you get a superior education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Additionally, many states mandate that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate might suggest that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It might also mean that the instructors were not competent to instruct 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 may produce more contacts for the school to utilize 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 field, but also that it has the network of contacts to help Catonsville MD students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating vocational and trade schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical companies or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Catonsville MD area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a rewarding experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes job 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 state-of-the-art and what you will be using on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, check with the electrical specialist you are working with regarding what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Catonsville MD electrical contractor if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Catonsville residence. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there might be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can monitor a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between students and teachers. Speak to some of the students and get their opinions relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you are only able to go to classes at night or on weekends near Catonsville MD, verify that the schools you are reviewing offer those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, illness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Catonsville MD?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Catonsville MD area.

Catonsville, Maryland

Catonsville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 41,567 at the 2010 census.[3] The community lies to the west of Baltimore along the city's border. Catonsville contains the majority of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), a major public research university with close to 14,000 students.

Before European colonists settled in present-day Catonsville, the area was occupied by the Piscataway tribe. These Native Americans had good relations with the first European settlers in the area, but wars and diseases caused their population to decline. The remainder of the tribe’s population gradually dispersed. In the early 1700s, colonists slowly settled in the area, and roads were built. The first of these settlements in the present-day Catonsville area was Johnnycake Town, settled in the 1720s.[4] Johnnycake Town was named after the kind of cornbread sold to travelers at the local tavern. Although Johnnycake Town has since disappeared from maps, it’s main roads, Johnnycake Road, Old Frederick Road, and Rolling Road still exist today.[5] Rolling Road was used to transport tobacco from plantations south to the Patapsco River on horse-drawn wagons. In 1787, the Ellicott family built a road, called the Frederick Turnpike, to transport goods from their flour mill, Ellicott Mills, to the Baltimore harbor. The turnpike was built just south of where Johnnycake Town was. Charles Carroll, who was the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence, owned land next to the newly built road. He instructed his son-in-law, Richard Caton, to develop the area along the road. He gave his name to the community and called it “Catonville”, although the name was changed to “Catonsville” in the 1830s. For decades, the village remained as a quiet farming community. Businesses sprang up along the Frederick Turnpike to cater to travelers traveling from Ellicott City to the Baltimore harbor. Naturally, Catonsville served as a layover stop for the travelers, and the town increasingly grew and developed.[4] The pleasant surroundings attracted wealthy Baltimorean merchants, who, eager to escape the summer heat, built large Victorian and colonial summer homes there. Many of these homes still stand today.[6] Starting in 1862, horsecar services connected Catonsville to Baltimore, and in 1884, the Catonsville Short Line railroad was built, providing 8 roundtrip trains to Baltimore daily. This allowed people to live in Catonsville but commute to work in Baltimore. Commuter traffic exploded in the 1890s with the construction of electric streetcar lines and fancy housing developments. Catonsville had become one of the first commuter suburbs in the United States. Baltimore had tried to annex Catonsville, although their attempts have all been failures. Their last attempt was in 1918. Homes of all sizes were being constructed rapidly until the 1950s when much of land around the Frederick Turnpike had been converted into housing.

In 2002, the Maryland legislature issued a proclamation declaring Catonsville to be "Music City, Maryland", because of the concentration of musical retail stores, venues and educational facilities in the area.

The location could not be found.

Find the Right Electrical Technical School near Catonsville MD

Selecting the ideal electrician 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 things that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician tech school that you are considering includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes should be smaller in size and each student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education needs to offer a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best serve your needs. Every program offers unique possibilities for certification also. Probably The ideal approach to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to monitor a few classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you select is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Catonsville MD.