Find Electrician Schools Near Me in Westerville OH 43081

How to Become an Electrician in Westerville Ohio

Westerville OH electrician inspecting circuit panel The initial step to becoming an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Westerville OH. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you go about making certain that you enroll in the right one? Especially since there are so many points to examine. For example, many prospective students will commence by searching for schools that are close to their residence. When they have located several that are within driving range, they will select the one with the cheapest tuition. Even though cost and location are important, they are not the sole things that must be considered. Also important are the accreditation and reputations of the schools, as well as their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your final judgment when selecting an electrician training school. We will address that checklist in greater detail later in this article. But to begin with, let’s review a little bit about becoming an electrician and the instructional options that are offered.

Electrician Diploma, Certificate and Degree Options near Westerville OH

Westerville OH electrician re-wiring power outlet There are several ways to obtain electrician training in a trade or technical school near Westerville OH. 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 common as the other three options. Often these programs are made available in conjunction with an apprenticeship program, which are required by the majority of states in order to be licensed or if you wish to become certified. Bellow are short descriptions of the three most prevalent programs available.

Certificate and Diploma Programs are usually provided by Ohio vocational and trade schools and take approximately a year to complete. They provide a good foundation and are geared towards those who want to enter an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
Associate Degrees involve 2 years to complete and are offered by Ohio community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that prepares students to enter into their apprenticeship program.

As previously mentioned, Bachelor’s Degree programs are available at certain Ohio institutions, but are less preferred at four years than the other shorter programs. Many states require that an apprenticeship of at least 2 years and in most cases four years be completed before licensing. Therefore, most students are eager to begin their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.

Electrician Licensing and Certification Criteria

Westerville OH electricians working on power lines Electricians in Westerville OH can undertake a wide range 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 required to become licensed in most states or municipalities. The length of apprenticeship varies by state, but normally about 4 to 5 years of practical experience is called for in order to take the licensing examination. The exams commonly test general knowledge and electrical theory, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Obtaining certification is also an optional way for an electrician to identify her or himself as a experienced and skilled professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be acquired in many specializations, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process 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) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s important that the electrician vocational school that you select not only provides a solid educational foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any certification and licensing exams that you might need to pass in the future.

Enrolling in Electrician Schools Online in Westerville OH

attending electrician school online in Westerville OH An alternative that you may have considered is selecting an online electrician school to earn a certificate or degree. Even though online schools have become more popular as a means of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Pretty much all electrician training programs require partial attendance on-campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the balance of the classes can be attended online, internet learning might be a more accommodating alternative for individuals that have minimal time for schooling. And as an added benefit many online degree programs have a lower tuition cost compared to their on-campus competitors. Commuting expenses from Westerville OH are also lessened and a portion of the study materials may be accessed on line as well. Each of these benefits can make electrician online trade schools more economical and accessible. And a number are fully accredited, which we will address in our questions to ask checklist.

Things to Ask Electrician Tech Schools

Westerville OH electrician re-wiring circuit panel Once you have made a decision to obtain a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Because there are so many electrician tech and trade schools in the Westerville OH region, it’s important to have a checklist of criteria that each program must satisfy. The initial 2 that we discussed were location and the cost of tuition. If you are interested in earning an online degree, then that must be a feature that your final school offers. And even though all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your determination, there are additional factors that must be considered also. Below is a checklist of those additional qualifiers that you will need to analyze before selecting an electrical technical school.

Accreditation. Many electrician vocational schools have attained either a regional or a national accreditation. They can acquire Institutional Accreditation, which involves the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which relates to an individual program, for example electrical technology. Make sure that the Westerville OH school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization, such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping make certain that you obtain a superior education, it can help in obtaining financial assistance or student loans, which are in many cases unavailable for non-accredited programs. Additionally, a number of states require that the electrician training program 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 finish the program. A lower completion rate may indicate that students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. It might also suggest that the instructors were not qualified to instruct the students. It’s similarly imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of graduates, which can mean more contacts for the school to employ for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate will not only confirm that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Westerville OH grads secure apprenticeships or employment.

Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician trade programs are taught along 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 trade unions. Check if the schools you are considering have working partnerships with Westerville OH area electricians or electrical specialists. An apprenticeship not only provides a valuable experience by supplying practical training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to establish relationships in the local electrician professional community.

Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be instructed on are up-to-date and what you will be working with on the job. 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 Westerville OH electrical contracting company if they can give you some suggestions. Also bear in mind that unless you are willing to relocate, the school needs to be within driving distance of your Westerville residence. Remember that if you decide to enroll in an out-of-state school, besides the added relocation costs there can be increased tuition fees compared to in-state residents.

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

Flexible Scheduling. Verify that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to handle your needs. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Westerville OH, confirm that the schools you are looking at offer those choices. If you can only attend part-time, make certain that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Additionally, find out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family responsibilities.

Considering Attending an Electrician School near Westerville OH?

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

Westerville, Ohio

Westerville is a city in Delaware and Franklin counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is a northeastern suburb of Columbus. The population was 36,120 at the 2010 census. Westerville is the home of Otterbein University.

The land that is today Westerville was first settled by Europeans around 1810. In 1818, Matthew, Peter, and William Westervelt, settlers of Dutch extraction, migrated to the area from New York. Matthew Westervelt donated land for the construction of a Methodist church in 1836, and the settlement was subsequently named in the family’s honor.[7] In 1839, the Blendon Young Men’s Seminary was chartered in Westerville;[8] Matthew Westervelt was one of its first trustees.[9] The Church of the United Brethren in Christ bought the seminary in 1846,[10] and the next year the seminary was reformed, and renamed Otterbein College after the church’s founder Philip William Otterbein. It continues today in Westerville as the private Otterbein University.[11]

Throughout the Antebellum era, several homes in Westerville were stations on the Underground Railroad. Among these is the Hanby House, located one block from the college. Benjamin Russell Hanby had moved to Westerville in 1849, at the age of sixteen, to enroll at Otterbein University.[13] Hanby went on to write many familiar hymns and songs, among them "Darling Nelly Gray" (inspired by his sympathy for Southern slaves[14]), "Who is He in Yonder Stall?", and the Christmas favorite "Up On The Housetop". His home in Westerville, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was dedicated as a museum in 1937[15] and is now owned by the Ohio Historical Society and managed locally by the Westerville Historical Society. It is the only state memorial to a composer in the state of Ohio.

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Enroll in the Right Electrician Tech School near Westerville OH

Selecting the best electrical training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. As we have discussed in this article, there are a number of things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are looking at. It’s a must that any electrician tech school that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on training. Classes need to be smaller in size and each student should have their own equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should offer a real-world perspective, and the training program should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs vary in length and the kind of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best serve your needs. Each training program provides different possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best way to research your short 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 training program you pick is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and dedication, the end result will be a new occupation as a professional electrician in Westerville OH.