Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Richwood OH 43344

How to Become an Electrician in Richwood Ohio

Richwood OH electrician inspecting circuit panel The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is enrolling in an electrician trade school near Richwood OH. But with numerous technical schools to pick from, just how do you approach making certain that you enroll in the best one? Especially because there are a number of variables to consider. For example, some potential students will begin by looking for schools that are close to their residence. After they have located several that are within driving distance, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are of importance, they are not the only qualifications that need to be evaluated. Also critical are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional 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 being an electrician and the instructional options that are accessible.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Programs near Richwood OH

Richwood OH electrician re-wiring power outlet There are multiple ways to obtain electrician instruction in a technical or vocational school near Richwood OH. You may enroll in a diploma or certificate program, or receive an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are obtainable at some schools, but are not as prevalent as the first three options. In many cases these programs are offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states to be licensed or if you intend to earn certification. Bellow are short summaries of the 3 most prevalent programs available.

Diploma and Certificate Programs are usually offered by Ohio trade and technical schools and require about a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are geared towards those who wish to enter an apprenticeship faster as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degree Programs take two years to finish and are provided by Ohio community colleges, typically as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They provide a more extensive education while supplying the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.

As earlier stated, Bachelor’s Degree programs are accessible at some Ohio colleges, but are less popular at four years than the other briefer programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to commence their paid apprenticeship, especially if it’s not part of their academic program.

Electrician Certification and Licensing Criteria

Richwood OH electricians working on power lines Electricians in Richwood OH can perform a multitude of services, including installing, replacing and testing electrical systems, and ensuring that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After concluding an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are mandated to be licensed in most states or municipalities. The period of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of prior experience is needed in order to take the licensing exam. The exams usually assess electrical theory and general knowledge, in addition to understanding of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also an optional means for an electrician to differentiate him or herself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications offered differ by state and can be earned in various specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases includes 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) along with the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician trade school that you select not only delivers a solid educational foundation, but also helps prepare you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online in Richwood OH

attending electrician school online in Richwood OH A possibility that you may have contemplated is choosing an online electrician program to earn a degree or a certificate. Even though online training programs are becoming more prevalent as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this case they are not entirely internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require some attendance on campus to receive practical hands-on training. But since the rest of the classes can be accessed online, internet learning might be a more convenient choice for students that have minimal time for schooling. And as a bonus many online degree programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their traditional competitors. Commuting costs from Richwood OH are also lessened and some of the study materials may be available online as well. All of these benefits can make online electrician tech schools more economical and convenient. And a number are fully accredited, which we will discuss in our due diligence checklist.

Points to Ask Electrician Training Schools

Richwood OH electrician re-wiring circuit panel When you have made a decision to obtain a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to focus your school options. Considering that there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Richwood OH area, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each school must satisfy. The initial two that we mentioned were location and tuition expense. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be an option that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are other factors that need to be considered also. Following is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to assess before enrolling in an electrical tech school.

Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Richwood OH program is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education approved accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, many states mandate that the electrician training program be accredited in order to qualify for licensing.

High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are reviewing what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students who enroll in and complete the program. A low completion rate might indicate that students were dissatisfied with the course and dropped out. It could also indicate that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader list of graduates, which may result in more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but additionally that it has the network of contacts to help Richwood OH students secure apprenticeships or jobs.

Apprenticeship Programs. Numerous electrician technical programs are taught together with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating trade and vocational programs will help place you in an apprenticeship program inside their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have working partnerships with Richwood OH area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only offers a valuable experience by furnishing practical training, but it also furnishes job opportunities and helps to form relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Make certain that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained 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 regarding what you should be expecting. If not, ask a local Richwood OH electrical company if they can give you some pointers. Additionally bear in mind that unless you can relocate, the school must be within commuting distance of your Richwood home. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there may be higher tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

Smaller Classes. It’s desirable that you get as much personalized training as possible, which can be difficult in bigger classes. Ask if you can sit in on a couple of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Talk to several of the students and get their comments relating to class sizes and instruction. Finally, talk to a few of the teachers and learn what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they have earned.

Flexible Scheduling. Confirm that the class schedules for the programs you are reviewing are flexible enough to fulfill your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Richwood OH, confirm that the programs you are looking at provide those options. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select permits part-time enrollment. Finally, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any because of work, sickness or family emergencies.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Richwood OH?

Following is a little bit of background information about the Richwood OH area.

Richwood, Ohio

Union County was organized on January 10, 1820 from territory previously contained in Franklin, Madison, Logan and Delaware Counties.[6]Claibourne Township was surveyed by Richard Claiborne in 1811, and at that time the land was mostly level with some light rolling. He described the soil as 'argillacious' with a thick tree growth.[7] The first settler in Claiborne Township was Cyprian Lee, who with Henry Swartz took the contract to build the township's first road in 1825. The 15 foot wide road was cut from the southernmost to the northernmost lines of the township, the effort consisting of clearing underbrush and small trees, leaving 'many obstacles in the shape of large timber.' This north to south road passed through what would become Richwood.

In 1832 two land grants of 1200 acres each in Union County were received by William Pelham and Charles Blagrove of Virginia. Mr. Pelham sold his land to Charles Blagrove that same year and he promtply gave his land to his two nieces, Catherine and Parthenia Blagrove of Washington, D.C., splitting the grant in half. Parthenia received 1200 acres on which a portion of Richwood would later stand. Miss Blagrove put her legal affairs in the hands of Delaware attorney George Bomford, who sold the land to Philip Plummer.[7]

Philip Plummer was originally from Mt. Vernon, but he had been impressed with Union County's tree growth and rich soil.[8] Once he had purchased Miss Blagrove's plat he returned with his brother Thomas, who was a surveyor. Together they found that the level ground and distance from Marysville, the county seat, would make that location desirable for a city.[8] The town of Richwood was laid out in the summer of 1832 by Philip, his brother Thomas and Union County Surveyor Levi Phelps, who aided the project with 'interested and able support' and whose office recorded the first boundary lines for the new town.[9][7][8]

The location could not be found.

Enroll in the Ideal Electrician Trade School near Richwood OH

Choosing the right electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to start your new trade. As we have addressed in this article, there are several factors that you will need to evaluate and compare between the training programs you are looking at. It’s a prerequisite that any electrician training program that you are evaluating includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student must have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world perspective, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses 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 serve your needs. Every program provides unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best means to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and talk with the teachers and students. Invest some time to sit in on a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you select is the best one for you. With the right training, effort and commitment, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Richwood OH.