Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Lexington NC 27292

How to Become an Electrician in Lexington North Carolina

Lexington NC electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical contractor or tradesman is locating an electrician trade school near Lexington NC. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the ideal one? Especially because there are so many variables to evaluate. For example, some potential students will commence by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have located some that are within commuting distance, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though location and cost 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 graduation and job placement rates. These and other qualifications should help mold your final decision when selecting an electrician trade school. We will talk about that checklist in more detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the educational options that are available.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Lexington NC

Lexington NC electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple approaches to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Lexington NC. You may choose a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at certain schools, but are not as prevalent as the other three options. In many cases these programs are made available combined with an apprenticeship program, 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 available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually provided by North Carolina trade and technical schools and require about a year to complete. They provide a solid foundation and are aimed towards individuals who wish to get into an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs involve 2 years to finish 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 supplying the foundation that prepares students to join their apprenticeship program.

As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some North Carolina colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states mandate that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and more typically 4 years be performed prior to licensing. Because of that, the majority of students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician License and Certification Requirements

Lexington NC electricians working on power lines Electricians in Lexington NC can carry out a wide range of services, such as installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in buildings and homes comply with code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but typically around 4 to 5 years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams usually assess electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary means for an electrician to distinguish her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available differ by state and can be obtained in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process usually involves three 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician tech school that you select not only delivers a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification examinations that you might need to take in the future.

Attending Electrician Online Schools in Lexington NC

attending electrician school online in Lexington NC An alternative that you might have looked at is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online training programs have become more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not totally internet based. Virtually all electrician schools require partial attendance on-campus to get practical hands-on training. But since the remainder of the classes may be attended online, distance learning might be a more accommodating choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Driving costs from Lexington NC are also minimized and some of the study materials can be available on line also. Each of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more economical and convenient. And many are fully accredited, which we will cover in our due diligence checklist.

Topics to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Lexington NC electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have decided to earn a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to narrow down your training options. Because there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Lexington NC area, it’s imperative to have a checklist of qualifications that each program must satisfy. The first two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you are interested in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your chosen school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be important when making your determination, there are additional variables that need to be taken into account as well. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifications that you will need to research before choosing an electrical trade school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician technical schools have acquired 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 Lexington NC program and school are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting agency, for instance the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you receive a superior education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Also, a number of states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to qualify 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 complete the program. A lower completion rate could suggest that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It may also mean that the instructors were not qualified to train the students. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a more extensive directory of graduates, which can result in 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 field, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to assist Lexington NC grads obtain apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Most electrician vocational programs are taught together with an internship or an apprenticeship program. Those participating trade and vocational schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrician contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are considering have working relationships with Lexington NC area electricians or electrical contractors. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by furnishing hands-on training, but it also supplies job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make sure that the school facilities and the equipment that you will be trained on are state-of-the-art and what you will be working with in the field. If you are already in an internship or an apprenticeship, consult with the electrical technician you are working with concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Lexington NC electrical contractor if they can give you some pointers. Also bear in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school must be within driving distance of your Lexington residence. Remember that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition charges compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much individualized instruction as possible, which can be challenging in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a few of the classes so that you can observe how large they are and experience the interaction between students and instructors. Talk to a few of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Last, speak to a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what certifications or degrees they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Lexington NC, check that the schools you are considering provide those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Additionally, 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 Lexington NC?

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

Lexington, North Carolina

Lexington is the county seat of Davidson County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 18,931.[4] It is located in central North Carolina, 20 miles (32 km) south of Winston-Salem. Major highways include I-85, I-85B, U.S. Route 29, U.S. Route 70, U.S. Route 52 (soon to be I-285) and U.S. Route 64. Lexington is part of the Piedmont Triad region of the state.

Lexington, Thomasville, and the rural areas surrounding them are slowly developing as residential bedroom communities for nearby cities such as Winston-Salem, Greensboro, High Point and, to a lesser extent, Charlotte and its northeastern suburbs.[5]

The Lexington area was at least sparsely settled by Europeans in 1775. The settlers named their community in honor of Lexington, Massachusetts, the site of the first skirmish of the American Revolutionary War. Lexington was incorporated as a city in 1828. Silver Hill Mine, located a few miles south of Lexington, opened in 1838, and was the first operating silver mine in the country.[citation needed]

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Find the Right Electrical Trade School near Lexington NC

Choosing the ideal electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new career. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a necessity that any electrician tech school that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom education should offer a real-world frame of reference, and the course of study should be current and conform with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Every training program provides different options for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to visit each campus and talk with the students and faculty. Take the time to sit in on some classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the program you select is the ideal one for you. With the proper training, effort and commitment, the end outcome will be a new career as a professional electrician in Lexington NC.