How to Become an Electrician in Lafayette New Jersey
The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Lafayette NJ. But with so many technical schools to select from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially since there are so many factors to consider. For instance, some students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. When they have identified a few that are within driving distance, they will choose the one with the lowest tuition. Even though location and cost are significant, they are not the only things that should be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician trade school. We will cover that checklist in more detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are offered.
Electrician Certificate, Diploma and Degree Options near Lafayette NJ
There are several ways to get electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Lafayette NJ. You can select a diploma or certificate program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the other three options. Frequently these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are mandated by most states in order to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are brief explanations of the three most typical programs offered.
- Certificate and Diploma Programs are generally provided by New Jersey technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards students who would like to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degrees take two years to finish and are offered by New Jersey junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more comprehensive education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.
As earlier mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are offered at certain New Jersey colleges, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. The majority of states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be carried out before licensing. For that reason, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their academic program.
Electrician License and Certification Guidelines
Electricians in Lafayette NJ can carry out a wide range of duties, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about four to five years of experience is needed in order to take the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications offered vary by state and may be obtained in several specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s imperative that the electrician trade school that you pick not only delivers a strong academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing examinations that you might be required to pass in the future.
Attending Electrician Online Training Classes in Lafayette NJ
An alternative that you may have contemplated is choosing an electrician online program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online schools have become more accepted as a way of attending class without the need for travel, in this instance they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to obtain hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning can be a more convenient alternative for individuals that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus many online schools have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Driving costs from Lafayette NJ are also minimized and a portion of the study materials may be accessed online as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician trade schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will address in our due diligence checklist.
Questions to Ask Electrician Tech Schools
When you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Since there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Lafayette NJ region, it’s essential to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first 2 that we discussed 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 critical when making your decision, there are other factors that must be taken into account also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical vocational school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade programs have received either a regional or a national accreditation. They may acquire Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs overall, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Lafayette NJ program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping ensure that you acquire a quality education, it can assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are in many cases not available for non-accredited programs. Furthermore, some states require 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 looking at what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the course. A lower completion rate might suggest that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It may also mean that the teachers were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of alumni, which may mean 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 industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Lafayette NJ students acquire apprenticeships or employment.
Apprenticeship Programs. Many electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician companies or labor unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Lafayette NJ area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to build relationships in the regional electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be looking for. Otherwise, ask a local Lafayette NJ electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Also keep in mind that unless you are willing to move, the school must be within commuting distance of your Lafayette home. Take note that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can monitor some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and experience the interaction between instructors and students. Talk with some of the students and get their comments concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, talk to some of the instructors and find out what their level of experience 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 are only able to attend classes at night or on weekends near Lafayette NJ, verify that the programs you are comparing 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, check out what the protocol is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.
Considering Attending an Electrician School near Lafayette NJ?
Following is a little bit of background information about the Lafayette NJ area.
Lafayette Township, New Jersey
Lafayette Township is a township located in the Skylands Region of Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 2,538,[7][8][9] reflecting an increase of 238 (+10.3%) from the 2,300 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 398 (+20.9%) from the 1,902 counted in the 1990 Census.[18]
Lafayette was formed as a Township based on an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 14, 1845, from part of Frankford Township and Newton Township (the latter now dissolved), based on the results of a referendum held that same day.[19] The township was the first in the country to be named for Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, the French general and statesman who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.[20][21][22]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 18.049 square miles (46.748 km2), including 17.962 square miles (46.522 km2) of land and 0.087 square miles (0.226 km2) of water (0.48%).[1][2]
Pick the Ideal Electrician Vocational School near Lafayette NJ
Picking the right electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to begin your new profession. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to assess and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be small in size and every student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom education should provide a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in duration and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best satisfy your needs. Each training program offers unique options for certification as well. Perhaps the best way to research your short list of schools is to go to 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 select is the best one for you. With the right training, hard work and commitment, the end result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Lafayette NJ.
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