Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Greensboro NC 27401

How to Become an Electrician in Greensboro North Carolina

Greensboro NC electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Greensboro NC. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you go about making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are a number of variables to examine. For example, some prospective students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their residence. Once they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will pick the one with the lowest tuition. Although location and cost are important, they are not the sole factors that need to be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and other qualifiers should contribute toward your final decision when picking an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in greater detail later in this post. But to begin with, let’s talk a little bit about becoming an electrician and the training options that are accessible.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Greensboro NC

Greensboro NC electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple ways to receive electrician instruction in a vocational or trade school near Greensboro NC. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or earn an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at a few schools, but are not as common as the other three options. In many cases these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you want to become certified. Bellow are brief explanations of the three most prevalent programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally offered by North Carolina trade and technical schools and require approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards those who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs involve two years to complete and are provided by North Carolina junior or community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are offered at certain North Carolina institutions, but are less preferred at 4 years than the other briefer programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be performed before licensing. Therefore, most students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not part of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria

Greensboro NC electricians working on power lines Electricians in Greensboro NC can perform a wide range of services, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After completing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to become licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but commonly around 4 to 5 years of experience is required before taking the licensing exam. The exams commonly evaluate general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also a voluntary method for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be earned in numerous specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification procedure in most cases entails three levels of competency:

An experience requirement
Passing a written exam
Passing a practical exam

Examples of certifying organizations 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 tech school that you pick not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you may need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools in Greensboro NC

attending electrician school online in Greensboro NC An alternative that you may have considered is enrolling in an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online training programs have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this situation they are not completely internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require some attendance on-campus to get hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes can be attended online, internet learning might be a more accommodating choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online schools have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Commuting expenses from Greensboro NC are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be available on line as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online tech schools more economical and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our due diligence checklist.

Questions to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Greensboro NC electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can start to focus your training options. Considering that there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Greensboro NC region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial 2 that we talked about were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that must be an option that your chosen school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other variables that must be taken into account as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before selecting an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. Many electrician vocational 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 example electrical technology. Make sure that the Greensboro NC program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency, for example the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a superior education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, many states require that the electrician training program be accredited in order to be approved for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician training programs you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage of students who enroll in and finish the program. A low completion rate could indicate that students were disappointed with the program and quit. It might also signify that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s also imperative 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 utilize for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has a good reputation within the field, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Greensboro NC students obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and technical programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or labor unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working relationships with Greensboro NC area electricians or electrical companies. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also furnishes employment opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be working with in the field. If you are currently in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working with regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Greensboro NC electrical company if they can provide some pointers. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to move, the school must be within driving distance of your Greensboro home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there might be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s important that you receive as much one-on-one training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can observe how big they are and witness first hand the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to several of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to some of the instructors and find out what their level of expertise is and what degrees or certifications they hold.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are assessing are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Greensboro NC, verify that the schools you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Finally, ask 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 Greensboro NC?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Greensboro NC area.

Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro (/ˈɡriːnzbʌroʊ/ ( listen);[4] formerly Greensborough) is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina.[1] It is the 3rd-most populous city in North Carolina, the 68th-most populous city in the United States, and the county seat and largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 269,666,[2] and in 2015 the estimated population was 285,342.[5] Three major interstate highways (Interstate 85, Interstate 40 and Interstate 73) in the Piedmont region of central North Carolina were built to intersect at this city.

In 1808, "Greensborough" (the spelling before 1895) was planned around a central courthouse square to succeed Guilford Court House as the county seat. The county courts were thus placed closer to the geographical center of the county, a location more easily reached at the time by the majority of the county's citizens, who depended on horse and foot for travel.

In 2003, the previous Greensboro – Winston-Salem – High Point metropolitan statistical area (MSA) was re-defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. This region was separated into the Greensboro–High Point MSA and the Winston-Salem MSA. The 2010 population for the Greensboro–High Point MSA was 723,801. The combined statistical area (CSA) of Greensboro–Winston-Salem–High Point, popularly referred to as the Piedmont Triad, had a population of 1,599,477.

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Select the Right Electrician Vocational School near Greensboro NC

Selecting the right electrician trade school will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to evaluate and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician training program that you are considering includes a good deal of hands-on instruction. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world context, and the training program should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in duration and the type of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and certificate or degree will best satisfy your needs. Each training program offers different options for certification also. Probably The ideal way to research your final list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the teachers and students. Invest some time to attend some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Greensboro NC.